Chickpea salad with roasted sweet red capsicum and a spicy dressing

Chickpea salad with roasted sweet red capsicum and a spicy dressing

Season: Summer, Autumn

Type: Salads

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

Ingredient: Capsicium (peppers), Chickpeas

 

This salad features the gorgeous mellow flavours of roasted and peeled sweet capsicum (peppers).

Equipment

  • bowl
  • mortar and pestle
  • scales
  • measuring cup and spoons
  • grilling pan
  • wooden spoon
  • chopping board
  • knife
  • tongs
  • small frying pan
 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 1 x 440 g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2-3 red, orange or yellow sweet capsicum (peppers)
  • sea salt
  • 2 handfuls coriander sprigs

For the spicy dressing:

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chilli paste such as harissa, or to taste
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
 
 

What to do:

  • To roast the capsicums, heat a griller or barbecue grill plate to maximum. Place whole capsicums on the tray or plate, then grill, turning frequently using tongs, until skin on all sides has plenty of black scorched patches.
  • Using tongs, place blackened capsicums in a plastic or brown paper bag, then seal and leave to cool completely.
  • Carefully peel away skins and place in compost bucket. Slice off tops and scoop seeds into compost bucket.
  • To make the spicy dressing, dry-roast cumin and coriander seeds separately in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant. Tip seeds intoa mortar, then grind to a fine powder with the pestle. Mix with remaining dressing ingredients.
  • Put chickpeas into a serving bowl. Cut roasted and peeled capsicums into strips and mix them with chickpeas. Pour over dressing and mix well, then taste and season with salt if desired. Scatter salad with coriander and serve.
This recipe is from Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Companion, published by Lantern, an imprint of Penguin, 2009.