Roasted veggies, Purslane, Chickpeas and Herb Salad

7:30 AM

If you are still dealing with the leftover Diwali snacks and sweets and thinking of returning to your regular healthy lifestyle then check out this recipe. This light salad is a power pack of taste, nutrition and textures. The juiciness of the cucumber and carrot ribbons, the lightly grilled vegetables with their intense flavour and caramelized sweetness, The peppery taste of the purslane leaves, the soft yet succulent boiled chickpeas pairs perfectly with the fresh herb dressing. Its sweet, its juicy, its spicy and very very flavourful. Try this out for a perfectly refreshing lunch and feel the lightness in your body.

Purslane on my windowsill

This was the first time that I used purslane (Portulaca Oleracea). I have been growing these in my container garden for more than an year when a local plant supplier forced me to buy several cuttings of this plant. He himself had no clue that these were edible, neither did I. but the tiny, dainty colourful flowers stole my heart and after several months of enjoying their beauty suddenly one day I realised that purslane is nothing but the small weed like creepers growing all over my balcony. I tasted a few leaves and was amazed at the fresh peppery taste of it and thought of using it in a refreshing salad. Am not sure if they are sold as greens in our local markets like they do in Delhi but would really love to have a constant supply of it for regular intake.

For many like us Purslane is very new so just to update you about its nutrition fact

It is very high in Omega 3 fatty acid, dietary minerals, vitamins and a couple of pigments which are potent antioxidants and have been found to have antimutagenic (that increase the frequency of mutation in an organism.) properties. It also contains extra ordinary amount of EPA which are not found in many other ingredients except for fish, flax seeds etc. But please remember cooking purslane considerably reduces its nutritional benefits. Its best to use in raw or stir fried dishes.

Here is the quick yet amazingly refreshing and tasty salad.

Grilled veggies and purslane salad

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

red onion: 1 medium

Red capsicum: 1 medium

Green capsicum: 1 medium

Broccoli florets: 1/2 cup

garlic: 4-5 fat cloves

Tomato: 1 medium (choose a ripe yet firm one)

Beans: 8-10

Carrot: 1

Cucumber: 1

Boiled Chickpeas or garbanzo beans: 1/2 cup;

Purslane leaves: 1 cup

Olive oil: 1+1 tbsp

Herb Dressing:

parsley: 1/4 cup chopped

mint leaves: handful

Green chilly: 1

Lemon juice: 2 tsp

Garlic: 2 fat cloves

salt

pepper

chili powder: 1/3 tsp

Method:

Wash and cut the capsicums in long thin strips.

Divide the broccoli florets, wash and drain the water.

Cut the tomatoes in quarters.

Chop off the end parts of the beans and cut them in 2" pieces.

Thickly slice the onion and throw in everything along with the cloves in an oven proof dish. Drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper and bake in a pre heated 200C oven for 10-15 minutes or till they get light brown spots on them. Keep all the vegetable juice for extra punch of flavour and taste.

In the mean time pulse all the ingredients written under Herb dressing till you get a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Peel and using a peeler peel the carrots and cucumbers in thin ribbons. keep aside.

Pick the purslane leaves, wash and keep separate.

Once you are ready to serve heat 1 tbsp olive oil and add the boiled chickpeas. Adjust salt and pepper and cook it for 4-5 minutes.
Switch off the heat and mix in the chili powder and the herb dressing. let it cool down for a couple of minutes and then mix in everything in a big salad bowl.

Adjust the taste by adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice. Serve little warm or at room temperature.