zesty smashed chickpea salad

Is it just me, or have our dry California summers been getting more humid by the year?  It's come to the point where even my own, very Korean dad has taken to turning on the air conditioner after work so we don't sweat through our wardrobes.  And that is saying something.

On days like these, when it is so relentlessly hot that even I'm reluctant to turn on the oven, a no-cook recipe definitely carries some extra appeal.  The fact that it's light, hearty, flavorful, and nutrient-dense too...well, that never hurts, right?







The great thing about this salad is its adaptability. I was first inspired to make a similar one after seeing the smashed chickpea salad on smittenkitchen, which was inspired by the one she ate at 'wichcraft.  Instead of using oil I used a couple tablespoons of the reserved water from the can of beans (don't be scared - it's just water!) in order to get the consistency I wanted, and only added a bit of oil for some flavor. (This is a great trick for making hummus, too.)  Though usually made with lemon, I completely forgot to get some and could only find a couple limes in the fridge. And you know the saying - when life doesn't give you lemons, make a Tex-Mex-inspired salad instead.



* A note on roasted red peppers: I cheated a little on the "no-cook" thing by roasting them myself.  Roasting peppers yourself is easier than you think and so much cheaper (I got 2 peppers for $.77, and jars of around the same amount can run up to $5), but if you're so inclined you can definitely buy a jar. I do recommend using them in this salad since it adds a welcome, smoky sweetness to it.  I also used my toaster oven to save me time (and so the heat wouldn't leak into the house as much).

Zesty Smashed Chickpea Salad
Generously serves 2 (enough to make 4 overflowing pita pockets)

1 15oz. can of chickpeas (chickpeas and garbanzo beans are 2 names for the same thing)

2 tbsp reserved water
1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

juice from half a lime, ~ 2 tbsp

2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves (from a generous handful)

1/4 red onion, chopped finely

1/2 roasted red pepper*, chopped
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, optional

Drain the can of beans, reserving the leftover water in a small bowl. (To be faster, I usually drain most of the water in the can and then dump everything into my mixing bowl.)  In a large mixing bowl, add the beans, 2 tbsp reserved water, salt, pepper, spices, lime juice, cilantro, red onion, and roasted red pepper. Use a potato masher, pastry cutter, or fork to mash everything together until the salad is a "scoopable" consistency but still has some whole beans (see picture).  Season more to taste if necessary, and add a little olive oil if desired.   Then you're done!

Feel free to serve this however you please - as a dip for crudités or chips for a party, in between normal sandwich bread for a fun lunch, or as I did, in between toasted pita pockets with some more roasted red pepper and sliced avocado.  Pickled red onions would be really good in this sandwich, too, and are super easy to make (a post on that soon).  Because the salad travels well, it makes for great picnic food at a park or beach.  Or you can just eat it on the sticky leather couch with your mom, enjoying People's Court and the occasional warm summer breeze.