Quick and Easy Protein-rich Chickpea Salad (Kabuli Channa Salad)

A bowlful of chickpea salad or Kabuli Channa salad is just what you need on many occasions… when a sudden hunger pang strikes. Or when you need a quick and easy high protein and high fibre side on your dining table.

Pair it with a soup such as this gazpacho or carrot soup and a homemade or artisan bread for a satisfying and complete meal. Chicken lovers can pair it with tandoori chicken or the grilled chicken tenders to balance the meal with fibre.

And of course, all the people looking for options to eat without the pain of weight gain are also in luck! The high protein and fibre content of this salad is a great combination for this purpose.

Frankly, I choose this salad whenever I want one that is suited to an Indian menu! I do have the western salads that are my favourites too, like the Cold Pasta Salad. But this one is a good one to add to the healthy meal list, just like the bean sprout salad.

In fact chickpeas are no nutritious, it’s a wonder we don’t include it in our diets more often. Check out it’s benefits here. Perhaps it will convince you, if nothing else, to make a bowlful of this yummy chickpeas salad today!

Preparations for the Chickpea Salad

Soak the chickpeas or kabuli channa overnight. Add 1/2 tsp of salt to the vessel.

Put this vessel inside a pressure cooler. Close the lid. Set the cooker on the stove on high heat. Once you see a continuous stream of steam, put the whistle on. Let it come to full pressure, you will see that the whistle is getting lifted because of it.

Now reduce the heat and continue cooking for 6-8 minutes. Switch off the heat and let the pressure subside. Check if the chickpeas are cooked. They should be soft but the shape of the chickpeas should be intact.

Pro-Tip:

• The best way, to make it easy, is to soak some extra chickpeas when you plan to make chole. Cook as described above or as usual. It is fine if you wish to add some spices to the chickpeas while doing so.
• When still hot, scoop up the required amount, without any water, and put it in a steel or a glass box.
• Cool and refrigerate. This can be used within two days for the salad.

The roasted cumin (bhuna jeera) powder is a prime flavouring agent here. Ensure that you heat a thick pan. Now roast the cumin seeds on gentle heat for around 4-5 minutes, until the cumin seeds turn just a shade darker. Switch off the burner and let the seeds stay in the hot pan for a few more minutes, until cool.

Now you can use a pestle and mortar or even crush it directly in the pan if the quantity is small. I keep a batch of this in stock, and replenish it when it gets over. Needless to say, the fresher it is the better the aroma and the taste!

Get hold of all colours of bell peppers to make this salad really stand out… but if not in season, don’t stress, it will still be delicious. And if you are a total bell pepper hater, not to worry, the taste is not dominant here, you will not even come to know it’s there! But if you really can’t stand it, you can avoid it.

Let’s move on top making the salad!

Chickpeas Salad

Recipe by Sheetal RabindranCourse: SaladsCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

2

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups boiled chickpeas

• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber

• 1/4 cup diced bell peppers (different colours)

• 1 finely chopped onion

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/2 tsp to 1 1/2 tsp lime juice (to taste)

• 1/2 tsp pink himalayan or rock salt

• 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder

• 1/4 tsp sugar

• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Directions

• Take a large mixing bowl and add the chickpeas to it. Now add the cucumber, bell pepper and onions.
• Drizzle the olive oil and 1/2 tsp lime juice on the vegetables.
• Finally add the salt, sugar and cumin powder.
• Using a spatula or a flat spoon, mix it all gently. Taste the salad and add more salt/ lime juice if you wish.
• Add 1 tbsp coriander leaves and toss.
• Finally take the mixture in a serving dish and garnish with some more coriander. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

• If you want to eat the chickpeas salad later, refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
• If you want to prepare the chickpeas salad the next day, you may cook the chickpeas and chop up everything but the onions and coriander in advance. Mix the ingredients and add these just before serving.