I first saw this recipe on Laura's blog: The Spiced Life. As her blog title indicates, she tends to pick delicious recipes that incorporate spice in some way or another. Alysha from The Savory Notebook also reviewed this recipe. You'll enjoy mouthwatering pictures on her blog. And the original recipe comes from Jack Bishop's A Year In a Vegetarian Kitchen.
Here's my take on Spinach and Arugula Salad with Indian-Spiced Chickpeas and Charred Red Onions. I'm a huge fan of cooked onions but the raw variety have much too much of that sharp onion flavor for me. And I don't enjoy the crunch. However, grill those puppies up and throw them on a hamburger, caramelize them and pair them with anything...
...or roast them up and add them to dishes... well, by golly, they jump into that category of foods that I tend to lust after. In this recipe, the onions are roasted. They get a just-slighty-caramelized /just-barely charred flavor that is tempting to nibble on and perfect to top the salad.
The chickpeas are are sauteed with bursting mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Just enough to give them the flavor needed to carry the salad.I have to admit that I was really worried that we wouldn't enjoy this salad. Lemon for a dressing?? Just a squeeze of lemon??? No oil???? Just the juice????? It's ok... the lemon was perfect. It was just a simple flavor to contribute to the salad that didn't take away from the chickpea and roasted onion superstars. WE THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS SALAD! Really different. And really delicious.
This recipe can be found HERE.
It looks delicious. I love grilled or roasted red onions, too and the chick peas are looking mighty tasty.
ReplyDeleteI so understand about recipe titles. They make me crazy! This salad looks and sounds divine. I'm supposed to bring a salad to a dinner party tomorrow night and this looks perfect.
ReplyDeletewow those charred onions are beautiful! the rest sounds delish too :)
ReplyDeleteHah! I would have been thinking the same thing too. No oil?!? But it does sound light and lovely. And now that the onions have their edge turned into sweetness, well then, that's just perfect!
ReplyDeleteThis is so healthy and delicous too, fabulous recipe!
ReplyDeleteThis looks insanely delicious...love it, especially the chickpeas.
ReplyDeleteThat looks really wonderful! I love grilled onions!
ReplyDeleteThis looks great. I'm not a huge fan of raw onions either, but grilled - they're fantastic!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great looking salad. Also a great idea to roast the red onion for the salad, likely adds loads of flavor. Going to use that tip.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like the perfect light and delicious summer salad! I love to throw chickpeas in salads and these little spicy ones sound great!
ReplyDeleteIt looks beautiful. I love onions any way you serve them!
ReplyDeleteThat's a salad I would enjoy... My Husband not so much, he just can't stand chickpeas... I wonder if I could sub another white bean in their place or would that change it too much?
ReplyDeleteYum diddly umptious. I'm a chick pea lovin gal so this would be a huge hit with me. I gotta admit that I actually like the long recipe titles-it gives me a good idea of exactly what I'm getting.
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of the chick pea and I would pick aruguala over almost any green, almost all the time. This looks like a perfect flavor combo on all counts. I'm inspired to try it, thanks!
ReplyDeleteNow this looks like a nice and different salad. Very dressy! I love spinach so I think I will love this too!
ReplyDeleteI would love this salad.....my husband, not so much. He is a wuss when it comes to onions.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the acronyms ... my husband is a Marine — it's like learning a new language.
ReplyDeleteThis looks fabulous! I love charred onions and slightly wilted salads, and the chickpeas sound wonderfully spiced.
Very different. It looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteOh those charred red onions are so beautiful. I will have them just as is and it will be delicious!!
ReplyDeletespicy chickpeas and roasted onions. yes please. raw onions absolutely disgust me (and do mean things to my digestive system...) but roasted onions are a different story. i love the blackened bits the best. awesome salad!
ReplyDeleteNo worries about the long recipe title - at least it doesn't leave anyone wondering what's in the dish! ;0)
ReplyDeleteGlad that everyone enjoyed the salad!!
I am going to try this. It sounds delicious!
ReplyDeleteNow, that's a salad worth celebrating
ReplyDeleteIt's so different from anything we usually eat, but it sounds so delicious!!
ReplyDeletethey sounds great with burgers! yum. grilled onions are a lot better then non grilled onions, they take some of that spice out.
ReplyDeleteYum, looks delicious! Spices chickpeas must add a nice flavor to the salad.
ReplyDeleteSounds really good! Beautiful pics too!
ReplyDeleteYour salad looks beautiful! I am definitely trying this one.
ReplyDeleteWOW - that looks exotic and delicious! And so healthy too!
ReplyDeleteYum! Check out my blog, I gave you an award!
ReplyDeletewow! those onions look fantastic! i love onions!
ReplyDeletewanted to invite you to my first little blogging event:
ReplyDeletehttp://diaryofafanaticfoodie.blogspot.com
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I'd love to see what you come up with :)
I think this is a stunning salad, oil or no oil.
ReplyDeletei'm reading down the posts - trying to make for ALL I HAVE MISSED and this post stopped me in my tracks. love it. LOVE IT. great combo that'd be very well received in my house!
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