Chickpea salad with Couscous

This is a no onion, no garlic recipe. Simple, clean, delicious and quick - this is great for the days when you have acidity and want light food. This quantity would serve around 3 adults.

 

Ingredients:
Couscous
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 and 1/2 cup boiling water
Handful of chopped coriander
Some freshly grated ginger
Some chopped raisins
Chilly powder or Black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Optional: A hint of Cinnamon powder

Chickpea Salad
3/4 cup uncooked chickpeas
1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 yellow bell pepper
2 small radishes
1 medium size tomato
1/2 cucumber
1 lime
Handful of chopped coriander
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Couscous

Uncooked couscous

1. In a large bowl, mix couscous, salt, pepper, cinnamon powder, grated ginger, coriander and raisins. Cover with boiling water, cover with a lid and set aside(for at least 5-7 minutes or according to packet instructions).

Cooked and fluffed up couscous

Chickpea Salad
1. Cook the chickpeas in one of the following ways:

• cook unsoaked chickpeas with salt and water for 45 minutes in an electric pressure cooker
• cook overnight soaked chickpeas with salt and water for 25 minutes in an electric pressure cooker
• use canned chickpeas
• use any other method to cook chickpeas that you prefer

2. Chop the vegetables - yellow, red and green peppers, radishes, cucumber and seeded tomato - in small cubes.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix cubed vegetables, cooked chickpeas, coriander, olive oil, juice of one lime, salt and pepper/chilly powder.
Cover and let this rest for 5 minutes until the dressing is nicely absorbed.

Enjoy this as a light and quick meal.

Chicken Clear Soup

Try this recipe on a cold and windy weekend to warm your heart. It's a dish that will take a little longer time to cook on stove, but very little time off your schedule! :)

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2 medium sized carrots, cut in big chunks
5 celery stalks, cut in big chunks
1/2 leek
2 bay leaves
One bunch cilantro stalks
10-15 thyme leaves stems
2-3 tbsp peppercorn, lightly crushed
5-6 cloves
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
Water

Method:
1. Tie bay leaves, cilantro stalks and thyme leaves in a small bundle.
2. In a big stock pot, place sliced carrots, celery stalks, leek, herb bundle, peppercorns and chicken with skin on(pat dry the chicken with paper towel before using it).
3. Fill the pot with with water until the chicken is barely covered, no more(otherwise soup will not be flavourful).
4. Bring the water to boil and then lower the heat. Partially cover the soup with a lid and simmer the soup for 90 minutes on medium to low heat such that there is a constant gentle simmer.
Note: You can remove the white scum that forms on the top of the soup during the initial boil.
5. After 90 minutes, take out the cooked chicken carefully in a big plate. Strain the soup and set aside. Check the soup seasoning for salt, pepper and thyme. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
6. Remove the meat from the chicken bones and put the bones back in the soup. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer with a lid on for another 40 minutes.
7. Strain the soup through a paper towel to remove any access fat and serve hot!