Indian Chickpea Salad

When I saw Abraham Chacko’s recipe for Garbanzo Bean Salad, I knew I had to try it. His photo showed a salad that looked just like salads we have enjoyed in Indian restaurants. It did not disappoint!

I made a few small changes to come up with my Indian Chickpea Salad. We loved it, although Bob thought it could have used another jalapeno pepper. I don’t agree. It has just the right amount of heat.

Abraham’s recipe calls for 4 shallots, but I think the shallots he uses in London must be much smaller than the ones I buy. I found that one half of a large shallot was sufficient.

I happened to have dried mango powder (amchur) on hand so I used it. It’s frequently used in Indian recipes that need a bit of extra acid and/or a sour note. Lime juice is often suggested as a substitute. Since this recipe already has lime juice, I think you could just omit the dried mango powder if you don’t have it.

Give Indian Chickpea Salad a try for a great, and easy, side dish that can be made ahead. And do visit Chacko’s Kitchen if you like Indian food. It’s full of information about Indian food and wonderful authentic recipes.

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Indian Chickpea Salad

(Adapted from Abraham Chacko’s recipe at chackoskitchem.com)

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You can substitute 2 cans of drained and well-rinsed chickpeas, but you will get superior results if you use the dried beans.

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(print the recipe)

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Serves 4 – 6

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1 cup dried chickpeas (200 grams)

1 jalapeno pepper

3 – 4 tablespoons minced shallot (about ½ large shallot)

½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Salt – to taste

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon mild-flavored oil (I used light olive oil)

¼ teaspoon dried mango powder (optional)

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1. Soak the chickpeas overnight. (Or, if you didn’t think to soak them ahead of time, put them in a pot and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour. Then proceed with the recipe.)

2. Drain the chickpeas and cover with plenty of water again. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon of table salt) and simmer until tender, an additional 10-15 minutes.

3. Drain the beans well.

4. Cut the jalapeno pepper in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Mince the pepper.

5. Whisk the lime juice, oil, and mango powder together.

6. Combine all of the salad ingredients with the lime juice dressing.