South Indian-Style Chickpea & Mango Salad

We have a double-dose of chickpeas today, but with all the other ingredients, this dish is anything but boring. Fun fact about chickpeas though: they’re rich in sitosterol, a plant sterol that, true to its name, sits on cholesterol absorption sites, reducing the amount of dietary cholesterol absorbed. If you are vegan, this will make no difference to you because your diet does not contain cholesterol, but for everyone else, this is a nice extra bonus!

You will need

• 1 can white chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 can black chickpeas (kala chana), drained and rinsed
• 9 oz fresh mango, diced (or canned is fine if that’s what’s available)
• 1½ oz ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 green chilis, finely chopped (adjust per heat preferences)
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut (or 3 oz grated coconut, if you have it fresh)
• 8 curry leaves (dried is fine if that’s what’s available)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
• ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
• Juice of 1 lime
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Heat some oil in a skillet over a medium heat. When it’s hot but not smoking, add the ginger, chilis, curry leaves, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, stirring well to combine, keep going until the mustard seeds start popping.

2) Add the chickpeas (both kinds), as well as the black pepper and the MSG/salt. Once they’re warm through, take it off the heat.

3) Add the mango, coconut, and lime juice, mixing thoroughly.

4) Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold:

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• What Matters Most For Your Heart?
• Can Saturated Fats Be Healthy?
• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits?

Take care!