Crunchy Salad with firecracker Chickpeas and Peanut sauce
User Reviews
5
Crunchy Salad with firecracker Chickpeas and Peanut sauce
Description
The Crunchy Salad features a mix of chopped lettuce or other crunchy greens, thinly sliced or grated carrot, red bell pepper, zucchini or cucumber, and optional garnishes like cilantro, scallions, and peanuts. The firecracker chickpeas are prepared in a skillet with neutral oil and seasoning including salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder, then coated with cornstarch for a light crispness. They are cooked with a sauce blend containing hot sauce, sriracha, rice vinegar, raw sugar, and water, which thickens in the pan to cling to the chickpeas, delivering a balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors. The peanut sauce dressing is made separately and adjusted for preferred thickness, poured over the salad for richness and a nutty counterpoint.
Serve this salad as a hearty lunch or light dinner, offering a variety of textures from crunchy vegetables and crispy chickpeas to smooth dressing. The versatile ingredients allow substitution of vegetables or lentils in place of chickpeas, and the homemade hot sauce alternative suggested uses vinegar, fresh garlic, lime juice, and cayenne for flavoring if commercial hot sauces are unavailable. This is a flavorful, colorful dish showcasing layered spice and fresh produce.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- lettuce or other crunchy greens, chopped
- carrot grated or thinly sliced
- red bell pepper thinly sliced
- zucchini thinly sliced, or cucumber
- cilantro or scallions for garnish, chopped
- peanuts optional, for garnish
- 1 recipe peanut sauce
- peanut sauce
For the firecracker chickpeas:
- 15 oz chickpeas drained (save the aquafaba for meringue) or 1.5 cups cooked, canned
- 1/2 tsp neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1/4 tsp salt depends on if chickpeas were salted, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch or other starch
- 1 tbsp hot sauce such as frank's hot sauce
- 1.5 tsp sriracha or other asian chile garlic sauce
- 1.5 to 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 to 3 tbsp raw sugar or brown sugar or other
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Chop up the veggies, toss and place in serving bowl.
- In a skillet, add the chickpeas, oil, salt, cayenne, garlic and mix well. Cook over medium heat for a minute. Add cornstarch and mix to coat.
- Add the sauces, vinegar, water, sugar and mix well. Cook until the sauce thickens, stir occasionally. 4 to 5 minutes. Taste carefully and adjust heat and sweet if needed.
- Cool slightly, add to the salad bowl.
- Make the peanut sauce. Adjust consistency to preference for the dressing by adding more or less water. or add some coconut milk
- Drizzle the salad with peanut sauce, cilantro or scallions and serve.
- Alternatively, add a few tbsp more water to the firecracker chickpeas during cooking and use the firecracker sauce to dress the salad.
- For variation, use kale, greens, other veggies. Use lentils to make firecracker lentils.
Notes
- If hot sauce or sriracha isn't available, blend vinegar, cayenne, garlic, lime juice, paprika, and salt to create a spicy homemade substitute.
- Chickpeas can be drained from cans or cooked from dry; save aquafaba for other uses like meringue.
- Use fresh chopped cilantro or scallions for garnish to enhance aroma and freshness.
- Adjust peanut sauce thickness by adding water or coconut milk to your preference before serving.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 244 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 244kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 33g | 11% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 619mg | 26% |
| Potassium | 664mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 12g | 24% |
| Vitamin A | 6540IU | 131% |
| Vitamin C | 54.2mg | 60% |
| Calcium | 74mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2.2mg | 12% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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