Chana Chaat Salad

This comes from Dishoom, a lovely cookbook and also an Indian restaurant in London. I subbed quinoa for the cous cous and sprouted lentils for sprouted grains, which worked well. The pomegranate seeds are key, don't eliminate them. 40g couscous 1 tsp olive oil 100g mixed sprouted grains 20g pumpkin seeds 2 tsp sesame seeds 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 medium tomato, deseeded and finely diced 40g raisins 70g pomegranate seeds (about ½ pomegranate) Flaked sea salt 1 small handful coriander leaves, finely chopped For the dressing ½ tsp cumin seeds 20g coriander leaves and stems 20g mint leaves 15g granulated sugar 25g pickled jalapeños (drained weight) 25g sunflower seeds ¼ tsp ground turmeric 50ml lime juice 1 small ripe avocado, halved, stoned and peeled Put the couscous into a microwavable container (a large mug is ideal). Add 60ml boiling water and the olive oil, and microwave on high for one minute. Leave to stand for five minutes, then fluff up with a fork. (The couscous can be cooked in a small pan over a medium heat, but it’s just a very small quantity.) Once forked through, leave the couscous to cool. Put the sprouted grains into a bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Tip straight into a sieve to drain, and refresh under cold running water. Shake dry and set aside. Warm a dry frying pan over a high heat and add the pumpkin seeds. Toast for two minutes, or until golden brown, shaking the pan to keep the seeds moving so they don’t burn. Add the sesame seeds and toast for a further minute, then remove from the pan and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the couscous, chickpeas, diced tomato, sprouted grains, raisins and pomegranate seeds. Season generously with sea salt. To make the dressing, warm a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, toast for two to three minutes, then tip on to a plate and leave to cool. Using a mini food processor or stick blender, blitz the first seven ingredients with half the lime juice and 25ml water until smooth. Add the rest of the lime juice and avocado, and blitz again to a smooth paste. Advertisement Add the dressing to the bowl, along with the chopped coriander and three-quarters of the toasted seeds. Mix well, then taste for seasoning, adding more salt if you wish. Garnish with the remaining toasted seeds to serve.