Spicy chickpeas salad

Spicy chickpea salad

Our writer Mehri loves this salad for its vibrant flavors and perfect balance of health and indulgence. The salad is more than a meal; it's a celebration of fresh ingredients and culinary creativity. We are thrilled to share this beloved recipe with you, inviting you to enjoy its deliciousness at home.

Ingredients:

5 leaves of romaine salad or the whole bunch/ruukku

1-2 small kale/lehtikaali leaves (optional)

1 pack of baby-spinach leaves (around 100 grams)

1 pack (around 200 grams) Spicy-Toasted Chickpeas (recipe below if you want to make home-made)

1 small size cucumber (optional)

1 ripe avocado (optional)

Ingredients for salad dressing:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar/other favorite vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard/other favorite mustard (optional)

1 teaspoon dried basil/other favorite dried herbs

2 tablespoons tahini/sesame-seeds paste (optional, for a creamer texture)

salt and pepper

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Instructions:

1. Wash your greens, let them dry slightly, and make sure they're not dripping.

2. Cut the romaine lettuce and kale (if using) into a larger bowl. If using kale, cut the leaves smaller than the romaine leaves because kale has a harder texture. It is, however, very nutritious and a nice addition to any salad.

3. Add baby spinach leaves; no need to cut them, as they usually have small and tender leaves.

4. Cut the cucumber (if using) into thin slices and add them to your bowl. Cucumber has a wonderful taste and aroma and, together with other greens, makes a very delicious and fresh mixture.

5. Add your salad dressing and mix well to combine all.

6. Add spicy-toasted chickpeas on top of the salad.

7. Cut the ripened avocado (if using) into thin slices and decorate your bowl of salad by placing them around the spicy chickpeas.

Instructions for salad dressing:

Combine all the ingredients with 3 tablespoons of water in a bowl. Mix and whisk well with a fork or hand-whisk for a few seconds. If you don't like mustard, you can omit it since the salad dressing is tasty enough even without it. Instead, use 1-2 cloves of minced garlic. You could also replace vinegar with lemon if you prefer, but then add a tiny amount of brown sugar or maple syrup and mix well since it balances the sourness of the lemon. Dried herbs give essential aroma and taste to the salad dressing, so don't miss that. If you want a healthier and creamier salad dressing, you can also add tahini or sesame seed paste, fresh lemon juice (1-2 tablespoons), and your syrup or brown sugar (1-2 teaspoons) to your dressing ingredients and mix very well until smooth. Add a few more spoons of water if needed. Remember to always taste the salad dressing first and adjust the flavor accordingly before serving.

Recipe for homemade spicy-toasted chickpeas

1 can chickpeas (around 400 grams)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon paprika/smoked-paprika powder (optional, for a nicer orangish color)

½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)

Salt & black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, and dry them well using a kitchen towel or paper. Transfer them to a bowl, then set aside. In a small bowl, mix all the spices and salt well. Add the spice mixture to the bowl of chickpeas, and combine everything until the surfaces of the chickpeas are well-covered all around. Prepare an oven tray, and cover it with baking paper. Transfer and spread all spiced chickpeas onto the baking sheet. Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally until chickpeas are golden brown and quite crispy, but not too dry or burnt.

Tips:

Caesar salad can be customized with various options to suit preferences. For a party, consider adding spicy elements like spiced-cubed tofu or spiced-toasted nuts for an appealing look and taste. Use cube-shaped toasted bread with herbs and spices as a flavorful topping. Enhance the salad with fresh vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, pepper slices, or basil leaves. Provide extra salad dressing for guests to add as desired.