I love this salad for winter. It’s packed with warming flavours: zingy miso and ginger dressing, crispy chilli and turmeric coated chickpeas, sharp red onion and of course ham (use the leftovers from your weekend roast).
Miso and ginger is one of those combinations that just never fails.
Miso is a fermented soybean paste which tastes salty and umami; a perfect match for the zingy notes of fresh ginger and sweetness of maple syrup. I love this dressing – it’s easy as and packed with flavour. You’ll find yourself making it over and over again!
This salad also features another go-to of mine: crispy chickpeas. They’re simple to make, and add a delicious crunch to whatever you put them in. You can switch up the spices to suit your dish – add curry powder, lemon pepper or your favourite BBQ spice mix. They’re also great for snacking on (although too easy to sneak a few every time you walk past).
Make sure you dry your chickpeas with a tea towel after rinsing, and ensure you cook them long enough so that they’re crisp throughout. If they’re getting too brown but not crunchy enough, you can turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let them dry out a bit after cooking.
This recipe was first published in the Taupo & Turangi Herald 03/2023. I contribute recipes on a weekly basis to this local publication, which will also be shared here on my website. Keep an eye on each week’s publication for my newest recipes!
Crispy Chickpea & Ham Salad with Miso & Ginger Dressing
Course: Mains, Recipes, Sides4-6
servings40
minutesIngredients
- Crispy Chickpeas
1x400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp chilli powder
- Miso & Ginger Dressing
15g ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
- Salad
1 small head cos lettuce, roughly chopped
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
200g leg ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/2 radish, thinly sliced
Small handful mint leaves, shredded
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200°C fan bake.
- Lay a clean tea towel over your work surface, and tip the drained chickpeas on top. Fold over the tea towel and dry the chickpeas all over.
- Transfer to a bowl along with the olive oil, salt, turmeric, chilli and a good grind of pepper. Mix to fully coat.
- Transfer to a large baking tray, spacing them out as much as you can. Roast for 35 minutes, until crisp throughout. Remove from oven and set aside.
- To make the dressing, put everything in the cup of a stick blender along with 2 tbsp water and plenty of black pepper. Blend until smooth.
- To assemble, arrange the lettuce over your serving platter. Sprinkle over the red onion and ham, and drizzle over the dressing. Scatter over the chickpeas, radish slices and mint. Serve chilled.