Chickpea and Dukkah Salad

I came across dukkah during one of the cookery shows with recipes from northern Africa. It seemed to be a combination of spices that is used as a dip with bread or fresh vegetables in a starter. I had to look up this spice mix to see what it contained - http://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/dukkah. The word ‘dukkah’ is derived from the Arabic for "to pound". The mixture of spices and nuts are pounded together after being dry roasted to a texture that is neither powdered nor paste-like. The composition of the spice mix can vary from family to family, vendor to vendor with sesame, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper as common ingredients. You can buy readymade dukkah too if you wish to take a short cut.

I saw this recipe which was very basic and essentially to be eaten with drinks like you would peanuts. The ingredients were I tin of chickpeas, a table spoon of olive oil and 2 table spoons of dukkah. Mix all the ingredients and place on a tray in a hot oven about 220C for 10 mins. It appeared to be a nice quick recipe but I wanted it for a salad so needed to think about how I can adapt this simple recipe and make it mine. Maybe a warm salad with onion and garlic; and cucumber and tomatoes could be also added. Here is what I came up with and had it in combination with roasted potatoes (small chunks) and grilled haloumi.

Ingredients

1 tin of chickpeas

1 medium onion

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons dukkah

Salt to taste (if using it in combination with salty cheese like feta or haloumi is it not necessary to add salt)

1 heaped teaspoon of chilli flakes

3 inch piece of cucumber

1 medium tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes

1 teaspoon chopped parsley and coriander (optional)

Lemon juice – to taste

Method

Drain and wash the tin of chickpeas.

Finely dice the tomatoes and cucumber. Add a pinch of salt and set aside.

Thinly slice the onion and garlic.

Heat the olive oil in the pan and add the onions and garlic to it.

Cook onion on medium heat till it is translucent and just beginning to change colour.

Add the chickpeas to the onions.

As the chickpeas begin to warm add the dukkah and chilli flakes to the mix.

When the onion, chickpeas and spices are hot and well mixed take off the heat.

Place in a serving bowl, add lemon juice and stir. Sprinkle parsley and coriander.

When serving on a plate sprinkle the chopped tomatoes and cucumber to add that fresh clean flavour to the salad.

Well I must say that it is best to have it warm and reheat only in the same pan. I went for what was in the original recipe and spread it on a tray (since I was already doing the potatoes) to warm up in the oven and found the chickpeas dried a little. I will of course not be doing that again. If I was not using the grilled haloumi as part of the dish, I might try a sprinkle of feta. Another variation could be adding some capers to it.  I really liked this simple salad and will definitely be trying out various versions.

Potato, Haloumi and Peas

 

This was my husband’s concoction one warm Sunday evening. His favourite food is anything with potatoes in it but it must be vegetarian. He does tend to ‘play’ with the food in the kitchen and has often come up with things I would not want to have again. However, now and then he hits the right note and a new favourite dish is born.

Ingredients

2 medium sized potatoes

1 cup of frozen peas (about 225ml cup)

1 packet of haloumi cheese

3 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt (to add into the parboiling of potatoes and peas)

2 teaspoons of chilli flakes

Dressing

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of runny honey

1 tablespoon of pomegranate molasses (you can adjust according to taste)

2 table spoons of balsamic vinegar (you can adjust according to taste)

Method

Chop the potatoes into medium sized chunks or wedges.

Parboil the potato chunks in salted water.

In another pan of water add the peas and bring to boil. Let it simmer for a few minutes till they are just cooked.

Preheat the oven for about 5 minutes at 250C.

Once the potatoes are done, drain the water completely.

Toss them in a couple of spoons of olive oil and spread in a tray. Put in the oven to roast. The time it takes to roast will depend on the size of the chunks so keep an eye on them It can take anything between 15 to 30 mins.

Drain the peas and use a masher to roughly mash the peas.

The haloumi needs to be chopped in I inch squares and about half millimetre thick.

Heat a table spoon of olive oil in a frying pan.

Once the pan and the oil is hot place the haloumi squares in there.

The haloumi heats up and starts browning. Turn it over and cook till it starts browning / crisping on the other side as well.

For the dressing mix the olive oil, honey, balsamic vinegar and pomegranate molasses.

Assemble the dish by first making a layer of roasted potato chunks, then add the fried haloumi and next the crushed peas before adding the dressing. Sprinkle the chilli flakes on top.

The dressing gives it a lovely sweet and sour taste and the hot salty haloumi is both crispy outside and soft in the middle.  This can be had as a side dish or a hot salad.