Hi Readers, I’m coming at you with another pantry recipe: curried chickpea salad. Because whether we like it or not, we are still in quarantine mode. For me this means looking into my pantry and seeing what I can use to make a meal. If I have a few fresh items to liven it up, then great! But without them I still like knowing that given a situation I can make a complete dish if I have to.
Although some lucky few may have a photographic memory, I instead have a food memory. There are so many times I can think of a food or dish and instantly get transported to a place, a time and an experience. This recipe brings me back to the first time I ever heard of chickpeas being used for anything other than hummus.
I was still in high school, but we were spending our summer in my parents new townhouse in Penticton. I can still picture us in the warm kitchen creating new concoctions. It was in Sarah’s early vegetarian days and she was wanting to try everything. Gone were the days of the go to bagged lunch of bagel with turkey and cheese. She wanted to find a different lunch option that would align with her new eating choices. One day Sarah convinced us she was making chicken salad, but placed a weird emphasis on the chick part…I should have known better.
Surprisingly her “chick”en salad sandwiches were pretty good. Fast forward a few years and I’m co-managing Agora Cafe at UBC. A volunteer student run, non profit cafe as part of one of my faculties main buildings. We served easy and simple lunch options as well as a lot of delicious baked goods, using as much local ingredients as possible. The cafe was looking for a new sandwich and I suggested a chickpea salad sandwich. I made the managing team a test batch and won them over. I liked to think that sandwich was my Agora legacy item after I graduated.
And now here we are today. This curried chickpea salad has gotten a few modifications but can be totally adjusted to your likes. If you want it to be classic, omit the curry powder and add pickles and mustard. Or make it Italian and throw in some chopped basil and sun-dried tomatoes. It is also super versatile as it can be used in many ways. Have it on its own with a fork, mash it up a bit more and serve with crackers, scoop on a big helping to create a sandwich, or even eat as lettuce wraps. Let the chickpeas inspire you…or just use whatever you have left in your pantry.
Curried Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 1 can (540mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/4 cup craisins, diced
- 1/2 apple, diced
- Dressing:
- 1/4 cup mayo
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- dash cayenne pepepr
- 1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
Directions
- Step 1 If you have time, remove the skins from the chickpeas. They are white translucent outer shell that covers the bean. Don’t worry about getting them all.
- Step 2 Using a masher or fork, mash the chickpeas in a medium sized mixing bowl. I like to keep some whole chickpeas remaining.
- Step 3 Toss in remaining salad ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Step 4 Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and add to salad mixture. Stir to ensure everything is coated evenly.
- Step 5 Serve as is, eat it with crackers, or turn it into a sandwich. Can be stored for a few days in the fridge.
Looks great – thanks, for posting it!