Ingredients
Serves: 6-8
Salad
200g of Chickpeas (use canned or dried chickpeas which have been soaked overnight and cooked the next day)
1 cup brown lentils
8-9 chopped cherry tomatoes
Half (medium to large) red onion
8-9 chopped dates
Half cup of chopped coriander
1 large (long) eggplant
Dressing
4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons roasted cumin
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon rock salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon sumac (optional)
Chilli flakes (to sprinkle)
Instructions
Take 1 cup of brown lentils and rinse in water 2-3 times
Bring 5 cups of fresh water to boil and add the rinsed lentils. Boil lentils for 10 minutes. Once tender, (mash between two fingers to check) remove from heat drain and cool
Spray a large frying pan or grill with a small amount of oil and add chopped eggplant pieces, stirring frequently to avoid burning. When the eggplant pieces are soft and charred remove from heat and let cool
Add chickpeas, brown lentils, roasted eggplant and the remaining items of the salad into a mixing bowl
Add all the dressing ingredients to the mixing bowl and stir well
Set aside in a fridge to marinate for an hour
Serve with warm pitta, roti, tzatziki sauce, tahini dip, or hummus.