Moroccan Chickpea & Zucchini Salad (Africa)

Pneuma's Note:

from Garth Shnier, Executive Chef of The Western Cape Hotel & Altiraspa for showcook.com Added for WZT. Preparation time assumes that the chickpeas are canned or cooked.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4-6

Yield: 4.0

• 240 g chickpeas (canned. if uncooked, soak overnight then boil until soft)
• 240 g zucchini (courgettes)
• 1 teaspoon garlic , minced
• 10 ml lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vinegar , white wine
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice , paste (actually calls for spice paste take note of recipe below)

Spice paste

• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon peppercorn , ground
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 5 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

1. Blanch and refresh zucchini. Combine all ingredients and toss together.
2. Spice paste: Combine all the spice paste ingredients and fry to develop flavours. Refrigerate.

Reviews

[mersaydees]

Wonderful salad. I added some sliced avocado since I had some and served it all over a bed of iceberg lettuce -- my DH's favorite. I also add the minced garlic to the zucchini when blanching since I prefer a more cooked garlic flavor (more mellow) in my salads. Thanks, Pneuma! Made for Aussie/New Zealand Recipe Swap #19.

[Marina K]

Thanks for a delicious and different way to use zucchini! I double the recipe, using a 15 oz can of chickpeas, and one zucchini and one summer squash (I didn't blanch them, and the texture was fine). It wasn't too spicy, and I served it with whole wheat pita - yum!

[Heirloom Tomato]

I liked this and it was fun to make the spice paste. I first tasted it at warm room temperature and liked it a lot. It was less enjoyable refrigerated, so next time I will serve it at room temp. I might saute the zucchini next time. Now must figure out what to do with the leftover spice paste...