Spiced chickpeas & fresh vegetable salad

½ cup / 100 g dried chickpeas (we used 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1 tsp baking soda
10 ounces cucumber peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
10 1/2 ounces tomato
8 ½ oz radishes
1 red pepper, seeded and ribs removed
1 small red onion, minced
? oz cilantro leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
½ oz flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
6 Tbs  olive oil 
1 ea zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tbsp juice
1 ½ Tbs sherry vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp superfine sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 ½ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cumin
Greek yogurt (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Soak the dried chickpeas overnight in a large bowl with plenty of cold water and the baking soda. The next day, drain, place in a large saucepan, and cover with water twice the volume of the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and simmer, skimming off any foam, for about an hour, until completely tender, then drain.

2. Cut the cucumber, tomato, radish, and pepper into ?-inch / 1.5cm dice; cut the onion into ¼-inch / 0.5cm dice. Mix everything together in a bowl with the cilantro and parsley.

3. In a jar or sealable container, mix 5 tbsp / 75 ml of the olive oil, the lemon juice and zest, vinegar, garlic, and sugar and mix well to form a dressing, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly.

4. Mix together the cardamom, allspice, cumin, and ¼ teaspoon salt and spread on a plate. Toss the cooked chickpeas in the spice mixture in a few batches to coat well.

5. Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and lightly fry the chickpeas for 2 to 3 minutes, gently shaking the pan so they cook evenly and don’t stick. Keep warm.

6. Divide the salad among four plates, arranging it in a large circle, and spoon the warm spiced chickpeas on top, keeping the edge of the salad clear. You can drizzle some Greek yogurt on top to make the salad creamy.

Servings: 4