Paprika Chickpeas & Cauliflower with Yoghurt Sauce

September 20th, 2024

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In the recipe I share today I embrace the versatility of chickpeas. Mild in flavour, they are perfect vessels for soaking up flavours and pair well with either vegetables or meat. Canned legumes (e.g. beans, chickpeas, lentils) are a great backup in the pantry. However, for a fraction of the price and less packaging, it is easy to cook up a pot of chickpeas to use in meals.

They can be cooked in a slow cooker during the day, on the stovetop for an hour or so while you prepare dinner, or my favourite for efficiency is to use a pressure/multi-cooker to cook them perfectly in about 15 minutes. (If using a multi-cooker check the manufacturer’s recommended timing for chickpeas as they can vary.)

How to cook chickpeas

To improve the digestibility of chickpeas (and all legumes for that matter) pre-soaking is important. Starting with 2 cups of dried chickpeas will yield around 5-6 cups of cooked chickpeas. Place dried chickpeas in a bowl and cover with plenty of water (they will swell a lot). Leave to soak for 12-24 hours, replacing the water a few times during this time. 

Drain and rinse well then place the soaked chickpeas into your chosen cooking vessel (see above) and cover with twice the water. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda (to soften for faster cooking) and cook until tender. Once they are cooked stir through 1 teaspoon of salt and leave to infuse and cool in the cooking liquid. Portion the chickpeas into 1-2 cup containers covered with the cooking liquid (to prevent them from drying out). Store in the fridge and use within 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months and thaw as needed. 

More Legume recipes on Homegrown Kitchen:

• Roast Beetroot & Lentil Salad – A punchy balsamic dressing is the winner in this salad. It works particularly well with lentils to give them a flavour boost.
• Baked Red Lentil & Cauliflower Dhal – Baked in the oven for ease. Then topped with curry toasted seeds for some contrast to the soft textured dhal.
• Roasted Squash (or Pumpkin) with Cumin Chickpeas
• Chocolate Chunk Chickpea Cookies – For something a little different you can add chickpeas to cookies (or Blondies). They are used in place of the flour for a chewy crumb.

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Paprika Chickpeas & Cauliflower with Yoghurt Sauce

This dish packs in the flavour. Serve as a side to slow-cooked lamb or as a light meal with a cooked grain such as rice, couscous or quinoa. The key here is a high heat to sizzle and caramelise the onions, cauliflower and chickpeas on the stovetop. Using a combination of olive oil and butter (or coconut oil) helps to retain the high heat without burning the butter or overheating the oil. 

Servings 4

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• knob of butter (about 30g) (or coconut oil)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• half a small cauliflower (about 400g), cut into small florets
• salt to season
• 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 400g can, drained
• handful fresh herbs - coriander, parsley and/or dill
• lemon wedges to serve

Yoghurt Sauce

• 1 cup (250g) plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated/chopped
• squeeze of lemon juice
• salt

Instructions

• Heat a frying pan over a moderate-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and once melted add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes until beginning to colour.
• Add the garlic, paprika, chilli and cauliflower florets. Continue to sauté over the heat for 6-8 minutes until the cauliflower starts to soften. Adjust the heat as needed so everything is sizzling but not burning. Seasoning with pinches of salt with each new addition.
• Add the drained chickpeas and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the chickpeas are golden and the cauliflower is al-dente.
• Make the sauce. In a bowl combine the yoghurt, oil and garlic. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Spoon the sauce onto a plate using the back of the spoon to swirl out to the edge.
• Spoon over the chickpeas and cauliflower. Sprinkle over the herbs and serve warm with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes

* Recipe from my Homegrown Kitchen 2024 Recipe Calendar - find more details of my yearly calendar here.