This next dish is great for lunch, it can be eaten warm, but I actually prefer it cold, which is perfect for taking with you to work! I used a base of wholegrain giant couscous for this salad, cooked with stock, spices and half a preserved lemon. Preserved lemons are a common ingredient in Moroccan cooking - they're pretty strong in flavour, but add that needed acidity, to balance out the spices. I then combined the couscous with a classic tomato, cucumber and red onion salad, seasoned with parsley and fresh mint and topped the salad with some chickpeas roasted in Moroccan spices.
Ras en hanout is a Moroccan spice blend, used in a similar way to garam masala in Indian cuisine, it's made up of paprika, coriander, cumin and chili, along with a many more spices, including pink peppercorns and rose petals - it's spicy, fragrant and reminds me a little of Chinese 5 spice. I combined the spice mix with onion and garlic powder, some preserved lemon and a little extra virgin olive oil, before coating the chickpeas and roasting in the oven. The chickpeas are beautifully fragrant and packed with flavour - a perfect feature ingredient of this salad.
This salad is also great nutritionally, it has wholegrain carbohydrates, iron to maintain your blood oxygen levels, protein from the chickpeas which will help to keep you fuller for longer, healthy fats from the olive oil and a range of vitamins from the cucumber and tomatoes, including vitamin A, C, and K.
Moroccan chickpea salad | Serves: 4 | Time: 25-30 mins
You'll need
- Baking tray
- Grease-proof paper
- Mixing bowl
- Saucepan with lid
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
Moroccan Chickpeas
- 2 cans chickpeas
- 1.5 tbsp ras en hanout (Moroccan spice blend)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
Couscous
- 1.5 cups wholegrain giant couscous
- 3 cups water
- 1 heaped tsp bouillon
- 1 tsp ras en hanout
- 1/2 preserved lemon, finely chopped
Salad
- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 red onion
- 4 large tomatoes
- handful fresh mint
- handful fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Black pepper
Method
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
- Drain 2 cans chickpeas, combine with the ras en hanout, garlic powder, onion powder, extra virgin olive oil and the finely chopped preserved lemon. Spread out on the baking tray and roast for 20 minutes, mixing up half way through.
- Add the giant couscous, water, seasonings and preserved lemon to a pan, bring to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the water has reduced, then remove from the heat and stand for 5 minutes to allow the remaining liquid to absorb.
- Dice the cucumber, onion and tomatoes, finely chop the herbs and add to a large bowl, drizzle over a tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of black pepper. Add the cooked couscous and combine. Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
- Serve up with the chickpeas on top and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
