Turkish Chickpea Herb Salad with Lemon Dressing

Ingredients

• 300 g dried chickpeas
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 15 piece fresh mint leaves
• 1 piece red onion
• 2 piece tomato
• 60 ml lemon juice
• 90 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Soak chickpeas overnight

   Rinse the dried chickpeas under cold water and place in a large bowl. Cover with plenty of cold water, at least 5cm above the chickpeas. Let them soak for 8-12 hours at room temperature until they double in size and feel plump. Do not skip this step as unsoaked chickpeas will not cook evenly.

2. Cook the chickpeas

   Drain the soaked chickpeas and transfer to a large pot. Cover with fresh water by 5cm and bring to a boil over high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45-60 minutes until tender when pressed with a fork. Do not add salt during cooking as it will toughen the skins.

3. Prepare the vegetables

   While chickpeas cook, finely dice the red onion into 3mm pieces. Cut the tomatoes into 1cm cubes, removing seeds if desired. Finely chop the parsley, dill, and mint leaves, removing thick stems. Work at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Do not chop herbs too far in advance as they will wilt and lose their bright color.

4. Make the dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper for 2-3 minutes over no heat until well combined and slightly emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning - the dressing should be bright and tangy. Do not make the dressing too salty as the chickpeas will absorb the flavors.

5. Drain and cool chickpeas

   Drain the cooked chickpeas in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking. Let them cool at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until just warm to touch but not steaming hot. Do not dress hot chickpeas as they will wilt the herbs and make the salad soggy.

6. Assemble the salad

   In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled chickpeas, chopped herbs, diced onion, and tomatoes. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently with clean hands for 2-3 minutes until everything is evenly coated. Do not overmix as this will bruise the herbs and break up the chickpeas.

7. Rest and serve

   Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to meld together. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed. Serve immediately at room temperature. Do not refrigerate before the first serving as cold temperatures will dull the herb flavors.

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