Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumbers

Ingredients

CHICKPEAS

• 400g / 14 oz can chickpeas, drained but still wet (Note 1)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

CHICKPEA SPICES

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp All Spice
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp salt

SALAD

• 2 cucumbers , diced
• 2 tomatoes (or 3 medium tomatoes), diced
• 1 red onion (small) , diced
• 1/4 cup coriander leaves , roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley , roughly chopped

DRESSING

• 1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar (Note 2)
• Zest of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 garlic clove, smashed (Note 3)
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Combine the Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
• Place chickpeas in a large bowl. Scatter over Spices, then toss to coat. The wetness of the chickpeas will make the spices stick.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over high heat and fry the chickpeas for a couple of minutes. Shake the pan so the chickpeas roll, or stir gently (so the spice coating doesn't come off). Transfer into bowl and cool slightly.
• Combine the Salad Ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of Dressing and toss. Transfer to serving bowl.
• Top salad with chickpeas (warm or at room temperature). Drizzle with more Dressing. Toss very gently, if desired (don't toss too much otherwise spice comes off chickpeas). Serve immediately.
• Great served with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread to stuff the salad into.

 Recipe Notes:

1. Feel free to use dried chickpeas you have cooked yourself if you prefer. You'll need 1 3/4 cup. Wet the chickpeas and drain per recipe (so the spices stick).

2. Sherry vinegar is fantastic for dressings because it's not as sharp as other vinegars. I can't remember if it's sold in Australian supermarkets, I think I get mine from Harris Farms. If you can't find it, sub with white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar.

3. To smash the garlic clove, peel it then use the side of your knife and hit it with the palm of your hand so the garlic clove bursts open but mostly stays in one piece. Doing this infuses the dressing with subtle garlic flavour and makes it easy to pick the garlic out later. Alternatively, just mince the garlic.

4. This salad is lovely served with a dollop of yoghurt, or stuff it into pita bread.

5. You probably may not need all the dressing, so keep the leftover in a jar to use for another salad. It's a terrific all purpose vinaigrette.

6. Nutrition assumes this serves 4 as a side. Note that the dressing quantities is quite generous. Typically I only use about half. 60 calories of the 295 calories per serving is attributable to the olive oil in the dressing,  so if you don't use it all, you will reduce the calories.

Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetables

A simple Middle Eastern dish that's perfect for using up left over veggies at the end of a week. You can use any vegetables you want, just make sure to cut them to size so they cook in roughly the same time. Stuffed into pitas, it makes a wonderful light meal or lunch, or a perfect side.

Ingredients

ROASTED VEGETABLES

• 1 red onion , sliced thickly
• 1 carrot , cut into thick sticks
• 1 zucchini , cut into thick sticks
• 1/4 pumpkin , cut into 2"/3cm cubes
• 1 1/2 cups large cauliflower florets
• 1 beetroot , cut into 1.5"/2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Black pepper

TAHINI SAUCE (SEE NOTES FOR ALTERNATIVE)

• 3 tbsp tahini
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove , minced (or 1/2 large)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Black pepper
• Water

GARNISHES

• 2 tsp za'atar spice mix (see notes)
• 2 tbsp pine nuts , dry roasted
• 1 tbsp coriander , chopped (or parsley)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
• Combine Roasted Vegetable ingredients, spread on baking tray and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Combine Tahini Sauce ingredients. Mix until smooth, and use water to adjust to the consistency of honey.
• Pile roasted vegetables onto a plate. Sprinkle with za'atar, drizzle with Tahini Sauce, scatter over roasted pine nuts and coriander.
• Serve with lebanese bread wedges or pita bread.

 Recipe Notes:

1. You can use whatever roast-able veggies you have, such as fennel, parsnip, eggplant and potato. Just make sure to cut them so they cook in roughly the same time.
2. If you don't have za'atar, you can substitute with a combination of other Middle Eastern spices such as cumin, coriander, sumac.
3. You can make your own za'atar if you want, here is the recipe: 1/4c sumac, 2 tbsp thyme, 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 2 tbsp marjoram, 2 tbsp oregano. This makes more than you need, but keep the leftovers - it is fantastic sprinkled on salads and especially on bread with a drizzle of olive oil and baked until warm!
4. This dish also goes perfectly with a yoghurt sauce - just mix 1/3 cup yoghurt, 1 small garlic clove minced (or 1/2 large), salt and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Then use water to adjust the consistency - or leave it thick if you wish.

Cucumber sauce

2 med garlic
1/4 t salt
1 medium cucumbers seeded, peeled, grated - squeezed and drained
1 c plain yogurt
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 T olive oil
1 T finely chopped fresh dill
1/2 t black pepper.

Mash garlic and salt. Add cucumber.  Add rest and mix.  Refrigerate for 2+ hours.

Greek salad

lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, onion

dressing:
6T olive oil
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 T red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 t dried oregano

Falafel

1 c dried chickpeas, soaked in 4 cup water overnight
1 onion chopped
1 c fresh parsley/cilantro chopped
3 cloves garlic peeled/diced
1 lemon juiced
1 T cumin
1t salt
pinch cayenne

1 - drain and pulse chickpeas
2 - add remaining and pulse
3 - 2 T balls on baking sheets
4 - Bake 20-25 min

Pita bread

1 c water
1 T olive oil
1 T sugar
2 1/4 t yeast
1 t salt
1/2 c whole wheat flour
2 c flour

Mix all, knead 10 min. Add flour if needed.  Let rise 1 hour, punch down, cut in 6 and roll into ball, cover and rest 10 min.

Roll each into a 7 in circle (1/4 in thick max).
Cover and rest 20 min.

Put stone in oven at 500 degrees.  Bake 5 min, cover with towel.

Optional: pan fry

7 layer greek dip

8 oz cream cheese
2 T milk
1 t dill or greek seasoning
3 cloves garlic
2 t lemon juice and zest
1 1/2 c hummus
1/2 c olives, chopped
1 c diced cucumbers
1 c diced tomatoes
1/3 c chopped green onions
1/2 c feta
1/4 c parsley

Mix cream cheese through lemon zest, spread on plate/dish.
Layer hummus over cream cheese mixture.
Layer olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, feta and parsley on top.

Serve with pita chip crackers.