Hummus salad
Homemade hummus only takes a few moments to whizz together and makes a perfect light lunch, served simply with pita. But for a balanced meal, turn it into this more substantial salad with the addition of crisp salad vegetables.
Hummus
1 1⁄2 540 ml cans chickpeas
1⁄3 cup tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, cilantro or mintSalad
1⁄2 English cucumber, pared into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
2 carrots, peeled and pared into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 red onion, thinly sliced
90 grams (3 oz) radishes, sliced
90 grams (3 oz) mixed salad greens
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1⁄2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
4 lemon wedges (optional)
4 sesame pita breads, warmed
1.Reserve 1⁄4 cup of the liquid from 1 can of chickpeas, then drain and rinse all the chickpeas and put them into a blender or food processor with the reserved liquid. Add the tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and herbs. Process for about 30 seconds or until well mixed.Season to taste.
2.Put the cucumber, carrots, red onion, radish and salad greens into a large salad bowl. Sprinkle with the rice vinegar and hazelnuts and toss together.
3.Heap the salad onto individual plates and spoon the hummus on top. Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over, if you like, and warmed pita bread.
Cook’s tips• For speed, you can use a ready-made hummus — choose a reduced-fat version if you can.
Serves 4
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time Nil
Each serving
6 g protein • 8.5 g fat of which 1 g saturates • 17 g carbohydrate • 4.5 g fibre • 177 Calories
