East Indian Chickpea Salad (recipe)

This is a recipe whose origins have become lost to the sands of time (and disorganization), however it is fast, nutritious and never fails to please. It’s a regular part of my Purim menu because of the prominent role that chickpeas play in that festival. In Trinidad cuisine chickpeas are routinely served curried or fried. Rarely do they get to shine, relatively unadorned, as the main star. This dish has definitely helped to change that for me!

East Indian Chickpea Salad

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups garbanzo beans, cooked
6 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cilantro, minced
1 fresh hot green chili, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

METHOD:
1. Pour contents of chickpea cans or home-cooked chickpeas into a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil. Drain, discarding liquid. [You can skip this step if you’ve
just cooked your chickpeas].
3. In a serving bowl, combine chickpeas with the other ingredients.
4. Mix well and set aside, unrefrigerated, for 1 hour.
5. Mix again.
6. Serve cold or at room temperature.