Tomato salad with crispy spiced chickpeas
Delight in the vibrant flavors of a tomato salad complemented with crunchy, seasoned chickpeas. An explosion of freshness and crunch in every bite!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup full-fat mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon chile sauce, or to taste, such as sambal oelek, harissa, or sriracha
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
- 1 pinch salt
- 400g cooked chickpeas (from 1 can)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 to 3 large tomatoes (or a mix of large and cherry tomatoes)
- Flaky sea salt
- 30g aged cheddar, shaved
- Chopped basil, dill, or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Combine together the mayonnaise, chile sauce, lemon juice, and paprika in a small bowl. Add salt, then taste it and adjust the level of chile sauce and lemon juice according to your preference.
- Get rid of the excess liquid from the chickpeas by draining and rinsing them. Pat them dry thoroughly with a towel. Coat the chickpeas evenly with cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Mix in 3 tablespoons of the mayo, then carefully blend them together until the chickpeas are uniformly coated. Save the rest of the mayo for later use.
- Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Spread out the chickpeas in a single, even layer. (The mayo will gradually melt away, and you will hear the chickpeas softly sizzling in the seasoned oil.) Cook for around 15 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan and lowering the heat if they are browning too quickly, until the chickpeas turn crispy and golden. (Take your time with this process: aim for the chickpeas to develop a crunchy, crispy exterior on all sides while remaining creamy and soft inside.) Season the warm chickpeas with a generous sprinkle of salt.
- While the chickpeas are cooking, prepare the tomatoes by coring and slicing them into ¼-inch rounds. Season them with salt.
- Place the tomatoes on a large platter or individual plates. Arrange the chickpeas, cheddar, and herbs (if desired) on top. Drizzle or spoon the mayo over the salad or serve it alongside.
Summary:
- Calories: 1826 kcal
- Fat: 123 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Carbs: 142 g
- Potassium: 2241 mg
- Magnesium: 248 mg