Imagine a meal that brings together the warmth of chickpeas, the zing of a spicy tomato salad, and the softness of homemade flatbreads. This dish offers a comforting culinary experience, where whole chickpeas are gently warmed, maintaining their rustic texture, and harmonizing perfectly with tahini, yogurt, lemon, and aromatic spices. The result is a delightful combination known as Musabaha with Spicy Cherry Tomato and Coriander Salad.
The preparation of this dish for four begins with chickpeas. Two 400g cans of chickpeas are drained and then simmered in water for a brief five minutes. After cooking, reserve about 300ml of the cooking liquid, which will be used later. Meanwhile, the salad is a colorful mix of halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber and red pepper, chopped coriander, sliced spring onions, and a touch of green chili, all tossed together with lemon juice, white-wine vinegar, olive oil, sumac, dried mint, and Aleppo chili, seasoned to taste.
To infuse the chickpeas with flavor, heat olive oil in a saucepan, add crushed garlic, and sauté until golden before stirring in chopped chili. Introduce the chickpeas back into the pan along with the reserved cooking liquid, cumin, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pour the warm chickpeas onto a shallow serving dish, drizzle with extra tahini and olive oil, and top with the vibrant spicy tomato salad. A final sprinkle of Aleppo chili adds a kick to the dish, which should be served immediately alongside warm flatbreads.
To prepare Turmeric and Nigella Seed Flatbreads, combine Greek yogurt and bicarbonate of soda until bubbling, then mix in water, 00 flour, wholewheat flour, turmeric, nigella seeds, and salt. Knead the dough until soft, then divide into eight portions. After a short rest, roll each piece into thin rounds and cook on a hot grill or frying pan until they are marked with light char spots. Brushing the hot flatbreads with melted ghee or butter ensures they remain deliciously warm and ready to accompany the musabaha. Enjoy tearing pieces of flatbread to scoop up the chickpeas and salad for a simple yet flavorful meal.