Chickpea and Sweet Potato Salad
 
Preparation time
Cooking time
Total time
 
This salad is a take on channa aloo chaat, a potato and chickpea salad that's a popular street food in India. The original is soft, crunchy, hot and sour. My version plays around with the ingredients to make sure that they are all easy to find, and make a balanced salad. This recipe makes enough for two very hearty portions or three with a bit of bread on the side. It stores well, so you can have it a couple of days in a row. If storing, add the dressing when you eat the salad or the leaves might wilt.
Author:
Recipe type: Salad
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
Salad
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 sweet potato
  • 500 grams new potatoes
  • 200 grams cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tin chickpeas
  • 1 red chillies (or less, if it's really hot)
  • 1 good handful coriander
  • 80 grams mixed leaves: peashoots, rocket, spinach or whatever is available.
Dressing
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • 1 pinch each of ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt
Instructions
  1. Chop the red onion and put in salted hot water while you prepare the potatoes. This takes some of the heat out of the onion and means your mouth won't taste - or smell - or raw onion after lunch.
  2. Cut the potatoes into ½ inch cubes and boil until soft (about 15 minutes).
  3. When soft, drain the potatoes and leave to cool.
  4. Half the cherry tomatoes and put in a bowl.
  5. Add the chickpeas, cooled potatoes and drained onion into the bowl with the tomatoes.
  6. Chop chillis and coriander and add to the potato mix. (Check the heat of the chilli before adding. The dish should be warm, not hot.)
  7. Mix thoroughly.
  8. Make the dressing: squeeze the lemons, add spices and mix.
  9. Now start building the salad: in a bowl, or lunch box, put a layer of mixed leaves.
  10. Put a third to half of the potato mixture on top.
  11. Drizzle with dressing (or serve the dressing separately).
Recipe by Edinburgh Foody at http://www.edinburghfoody.com/2014/06/13/working-in-uniform-heres-to-a-healthy-hearty-and-affordable-lunch/