Chickpea Salad with Sundried Tomato Paste

This is a salad I make whenever I need to make a quick lunch. I have a jar of this sun-dried paste in the fridge and it comes handy whenever I am a little short on time. You can whip up the salad in minutes provided you have boiled chickpeas in the fridge.

Serves 2

Salad
INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked 
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes - chopped 
• salad leaves (any kind)
• handful of Grapes (optional)
• Paneer cubes (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 1-2 tbsp of Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

NOTES:

- I do not add paneer to the salad and it still tastes delicious.

- In case you don't have cooked chickpeas on hand - you can try boiling them on the spot - adding a pinch of baking soda helps quicken the process, but you would still want to pressure cook them for at least 4-5 whistles on a slow flame. Make sure to discard the water used in boiling.

PROCESS:

1. Dressing: To make the dressing just mix in 1tbsp sun-dried tomato paste with 1tbsp of olive oil. I used the 2 tbsp of each.
2. Boil the chickpeas, that have been soaked overnight - drain them and put them in a salad bowl.
3. Throw in the chopped cherry tomatoes+ the chopped grapes along with the salad greens.
4. Add in the dressing - adjust the salt and pepper
5. And you are done!

Sun-dried Tomato Paste - Makes 1 full jar (250ml)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (without oil)
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tbsp garlic - crushed
• 2 tbsp capers (optional)
• 1 tbsp red chilly powder or flakes
• 3 tbsp Oregano (preferably fresh)
• 20 leaves of fresh basil
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

NOTES:
- The measurements are all my best approximation of the original recipe so you might have to tweak them a bit.
- If using oil packed sun-dried tomatoes then skip adding the extra olive oil

PROCESS:

1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and water overnight
2. Blend the soaked tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients till it turns into a smooth paste
3. Adjust the seasoning - you might need to add a little bit of sugar if the paste is too sour.
4. The paste stays well at room temperature for about a month and in the refrigerator for about a year.

Recipe Source: Healthfood Desi Videshi