You know a scorching day lies ahead when the air in your kitchen feels thick and close—at 6:00 AM.
Ironically, by that hour on a hot summer morning, I’m already thinking about dinner: I like to get a head start on preparation to assure I’m not stuck in a broiling kitchen later when the heat is at its worst.
This Gingery Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pepper Salad is the perfect recipe for a steamy summer day. You can make it in the morning and let the mealy chickpeas soak up the olive oil, lemon juice, curry and fresh grated ginger all day.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature spooned into bowls or over greens. Add a side of pita or Italian bread and you’ve got dinner. This salad also holds up well for picnics.
Gingery Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pepper Salad is wonderful with your own oven-roasted, peak-of-the season red or yellow peppers. But if you can’t bear to turn on the stove, don’t feel even the teeniest bit guilty about using jarred roasted peppers.
I’m lazy so I coarse-grate the ginger for this salad. If ginger’s fibrousness bothers you, use a finer grade on your grater.
Gingery Curried Chickpea and Roasted Pepper Salad
3 cups cooked chick peas—if using canned, about two 15-ounce cans, drained and rinsed
2 oven-roasted red or yellow peppers, or equivalent amount from jar, drained
1 small red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ginger root, peeled and grated
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 heaping teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaping teaspoon Madras curry powder
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- Spoon chickpeas into a medium sized bowl.
- Slice oven-roasted or jarred peppers into ½” vertical strips. Cut strips in half again horizontally.
- Add peppers, onion, ginger root, olive oil, lemon juice and spices to the chickpeas and toss. Add salt and pepper and adjust seasoning.
- Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Serves 4-6
