CHICK PEA AND BULGHAR WHEAT SALAD

250 g bulghur wheat
450 g can chick peas, drained
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
75 g unsalted peanuts, shelled
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed

Cover the bulghar wheat with boiling water and leave to soak for 30 minutes, or until the grains have softened. Occasionally run a fork through and add more water if necessary. Drain it and squeeze dry before transferring to a bowl. Add the chick peas, cucumber, tomatoes, peanuts and herbs to the bowl and stir thoroughly. Beat together the remaining ingredients and fold them into the salad.

CHICK PEA AND TOMATO SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, washed and sliced
2 courgettes, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
900 g chopped tomatoes (2 cans)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 fresh bay leaf
900 ml vegetable or chicken stock
450 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
250 g spinach, stemmed and shredded
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a pan and cook the leeks and courgettes for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, stock and chickpeas. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the spinach to the soup and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste. Discard the bay leaf and serve. Delicious sprinkled with parmesan and served with warmed herb bread.

SPICY CHICK PEA, RICE AND CARROT PILAF

225 g basmati rice
1 cinnamon stick
Seeds from 4-5 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh root ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
400 g can chickpeas, drained
50 g raisins
1&1/4 pints vegetable stock
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
50 g cashew nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
Pepper to taste

Place the rice into a sieve. Wash under cold running water until it runs clear, and then set aside. Dry-fry the whole spices and bay leaves in a small frying pan for about 2 minutes until they start to pop and release their aroma. Heat the oil in a large saucepan; add the onion, garlic, ginger, carrots and ground spices and fry for 10 minutes until the vegetables are golden. Add the dry fry spice mixture to the pan with the rice and stir-fry for 1 minute until the rice grains are glossy. Add the chickpeas, raisin, stock, lemon juice and salt to the pan. Bring to the boil, stir once and cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer over a low heat and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes. Fork through the cashew nuts and coriander. Check the seasoning and serve at once, garnished with lemon wedges and coriander sprigs.

CHICKPEAS WITH GARLIC, TOMATOES, & GREEN CHILIES

This dish is great with almost any Indian meal, accompanied by a green vegetable, a yogurt relish and a bread.

9 cloves garlic peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
240 ml tomato sauce canned or homemade
2x450 ml cans of drained chickpeas
3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1&1/2-2 teaspoons salt 5 fresh hot green chilies
1 teaspoons ground cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground amchoor or lemon juice
pinch cayenne pepper

Put the garlic into the container of a food processor or blender. Add 1/4 cup water and blend until you have a smooth paste. Heat the oil in a 10 inch wide, heavy pot over a medium-high flame. When hot, put in the cumin seeds. A few seconds later, put in the garlic paste. Fry for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Add the tomato sauce. Keep stirring and cook for another minute. Add the drained chickpeas, diced potatoes, 2 cups water, salt, green chilies, ground cumin, lemon, and cayenne. Stir gently and bring to a simmer. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE WITH CHICK PEAS

1 red cabbage, cored and sliced
400 g can chick peas
500 g frozen peas
300 ml vegetable stock
50 g butter
4 tablepsoons sherry vinegar
3 teaspoons dried green peppercorns
2 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
Salt and pepper

Place the stock, butter and vinegar into a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the peppercorns and cabbage. Mix thoroughly then bring to the boil. Cover and reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the cabbage becomes soft. Next add the redcurrant jelly and stir until it has melted. Add the peas and then bring to the boil again and bubble in the open pan for a few minutes in order for the juices to evaporate. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the chickpeas. Cover again and leave over low heat to allow the chickpeas to warm through.

SPINACH AND CHICK PEA SAUTÉ

Serve this tasty dish with crusty olive bread or fresh naan. For a slightly more unusual taste, add a handful of raisins after the spinach.

1 onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 ripe tomatoes
800 g chickpeas, drained
200 ml vegetable stock
350 g spinach leaves, trimmed
25 g pine nuts, toasted
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley to garnish

Peel and chop the onion. Heat the oil, add the onion, garlic and spices and fry gently for about 10 minutes until golden. Remove the skins from the tomatoes by immersing them in a bowl of water for 30 seconds. The skins should then peel away very easily. Chop roughly and add these to the spice mixture and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in chickpeas and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes — it is important that the chickpeas are well cooked! Shred the spinach leaves and stir into the mixture and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Finally stir in the pine nuts and season with the salt and pepper. Serve piping hot, sprinkled with the fresh parsley.