Name: Jain Chana & Cucumber Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 490 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¾ cup Black Chickpeas, kala chana, boiled and cooled; ½ Cucumber, peeled and finely chopped; ½ Tomato, finely chopped, seeds removed; ½ Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; ½ tsp Ground Cumin, roasted; ½ tsp Chaat Masala, ensure it does not contain onion/garlic powder; ¼ tsp Black Salt, kala namak; ¾ tbsp Lemon Juice; 1½ tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

8 hr 10 mintotal

10 min hands-on8 hr hands-off

Prep 10 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

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Ingredients

¾ cupBlack Chickpeaskala chana, boiled and cooled
½Cucumberpeeled and finely chopped
½Tomatofinely chopped, seeds removed
½Green Chili Pepperfinely chopped
½ tspGround Cuminroasted
½ tspChaat Masalaensure it does not contain onion/garlic powder
¼ tspBlack Saltkala namak
¾ tbspLemon Juice
1½ tbspCoriander Leaveschopped

Quantities are for 2 servings.

Includes soaking time.

Method

In a large mixing bowl, add the boiled and cooled black chickpeas (kala chana).
Add the chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and green chilli.
Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder, chaat masala, and black salt over the vegetables and chickpeas.
Pour the fresh lemon juice over the salad.
Toss everything together until the spices and lemon juice evenly coat the chickpeas.
Garnish with fresh coriander and serve immediately.

How to tell it's done

Firm, earthy chickpeas contrasted with cool, juicy, and crunchy cucumber.

Getting it right

Tip

Removing the seeds from the tomatoes prevents the salad from becoming watery if it sits for a while.

What to serve it with

A protein-packed mid-day snack or a cooling side dish for a heavy Jain meal.

Common mistakes

The salad turns watery in the bowl.: Dress it just before serving. Salt and lemon draw water out of cucumber and tomato within minutes, and there is no way back once they have.
The chickpeas taste bland next to the dressing.: Salt them while they are still warm from boiling, before they go into the salad. Chickpeas seasoned cold never take it up properly.

Substitutions

White chickpeas work in place of kala chana, though they are softer and less nutty.
If you have no chaat masala, a little extra roasted cumin with a pinch of amchur gets close.

Storing and reheating

Eat the same day. Boiled kala chana keeps three days in the fridge and freezes for a month, so cook them ahead and build the salad fresh — that is the part worth preparing in advance.

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