This is one of the best salad I have had so far. Growing up, salads were totally inexistent in our meal course. So when I was introduced to this, I was like eh ? ( colloquially in my mother tongue "elai thazhaigala yard thimba" ? I was so disinclined to try it out. But slowly out of necessity I started having them. My very first take was the Caesar salad at Cheesecake factory. Not that I was hooked on to it immediately but I could finish half the plate! Note that I have never been able to complete a full potion in any American restaurant ( barring the fine dining ) If I can finish off half the plate, I am achieved. So from that rendezvous my intake of salad started growing steadily. It also makes my work easier when I have to cook just for myself. Despite its ease and health benefits (thats how I used to tell myself when trying out salads initially) I am still not a huge fan of salads but I can very well manage it once in a while. Well, there is no harm in trying out different things isn't it ?
This recipe is adapted from here. I am a great lover of Chickpea and thats what inspired me to try this salad in the first place. But my hands started to stall as soon as I noticed that the recipe also contains raisins. I have a tendency to dismiss a sweet & savoury mixed flavours immediately. No looking back. Period. But the rational side of the brain (works at times) reminded me that this combination has worked out at times. As always it turned out to be true. The raisins, nuts and chickpeas are a very interesting combo. Surprisingly, I enjoyed it a lot and happily had a second helping as well.
Layered herbed chickpea and yogurt salad
- ¼ Cup Raisins
- ¾ Cup Cooked chickpeas
- Few Coriander leaves
- Olive oil
- 1 Cup Grated Cucumber
- ¼ Cup finely chopped red onions
- Few coriander leaves
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped Green chillies
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- Handful Nuts - walnuts, almonds and cashews
- Soak the chickpea for about 8 hours or overnight. Pressure cook until they are firm and tender. Add salt while cooking.
- Mix the chickpea with olive oil and some coriander leaves.
- Add little salt to the cucumber. Keep aside for 10 minutes. Squeeze and remove the water from the cucumber. Now mix the onions, chillies and coriander leaves. Add little salt and pepper as per taste.
- Whisk the curd with salt, coriander leaves and mint leaves.
- In a mason jar or any tall glass add the raisins at the bottom. Followed by chickpeas and curd mixture. Top it finally with some more raisins and nuts of your choice.
- You can use any herb of your choice. Play around with herbs you like.
Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 67 here.
Pavani N says
What a delicious savory parfait Nisha. Looks awesome and lovely clicks.