Chickpea Mango Salad

Chickpea Mango Salad is a delicious easy-to-make Summer salad. Loaded with healthy goodness of chickpeas, fresh ripe mangoes, and salad veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, red onions this protein-rich salad is both filling and nutritious. Digging into a chilled bowl of this Chickpea Mango Salad on a Summer afternoon is a treat to the taste buds for sure. It has the sweetness from ripe juicy mangoes, tartness from the lemon dressing and a spicy kick from the green chilies. Pair this chickpea mango salad with your grilled snack, barbecue, chips, crackers or munch it on its own as a healthy mid-day snack. It takes just 10-15 minutes to make this oil-free, vegan, and gluten-free salad that can also serve as a light and refreshing meal at any time of the day. 

What are Salads?

A salad is a dish consisting of a mixture of small pieces of food, usually vegetables or fruit. Salads are usually served at room temperature or chilled with few exemptions like this Lebanese Spiced potato salad, Batata Harra which is served warm. There is a wide variety of salads like the green salads that make use of fresh, raw, leafy green veggies, fruit salads ( Muskmelon Salsa), vegetable salads (Moorish Crunch Salad, bean salads (Lobia bean salad, Moong Sprouts Salad), pasta salads and mixed salads that incorporate meat, poultry or seafood along with fruit and vegetables.

What goes into my Chickpea Mango Salad?

This Chickpea Mango Salad is easy to make a protein-rich salad that requires just a handful of simple and easily available ingredients from the kitchen pantry. I have kept the salad very simple with no use of sophisticated salad dressing. This oil-free salad has a simple lemon juice seasoned with black pepper and rock salt dressing.

• Chickpeas: The star ingredient of this salad is white chickpeas also known as kabuli chana in Hindi. Dry white chickpeas are soaked overnight and boiled until soft in a pressure cooker. The cooked chickpeas have to be well cooked but not mushy and should retain their shape. You can use canned chickpeas instead. 
• Mango: Choose any non-fibrous variety of sweet juicy mango that is ripe but not mushy and you should be able to chop it in cubes. Mango adds a lovely sweet bite to the salad.
• Salad Vegetables: I have used ripe red tomatoes (de-seeded), cucumber, red onions. You may use any vegetable of your choice like bell peppers, carrots, etc. Boiled sweet corn and green peas can also be used.
• Green Chilies: Finely chopped green chilies provide a spicy kick to the salad. However, you may skip it if serving the salad to kids.
• Black Pepper: Crushed black pepper is used to season the salad.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice imparts a lovely tangy taste to the salad. So do not skip it.
• Rock Salt: I have used rock salt, you may use the regular table salt instead.
• Fresh Coriander: Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves add a refreshing flavor to the salad. You may use mint leaves also or replace the cilantro with fresh mint leaves.

                           

What are Chickpeas?

Chickpeas are a type of legume that fall in the same family as that of Kidney Beans and Peanuts. They are also known as Garbanzo beans. They have a buttery nutty flavor and a creamy texture. Chickpeas are rich in proteins and used extensively in the Culinary world. In India both the brown variety (Kala Chana) and the Kabuli chana (white Chickpeas) are popular. Chickpea Flour (Besan) is also a staple that you will find in most of the Indian pantries. If you are looking for Chickpea recipes, check out the following from this blog hummus, Kale Chane Ki Chaat, Chana Pulao, Aloo Chana Chaat, Chana Salad, Spanish Chickpea, and Spinach Stew, Beet Hummus, Pindi Chole, Besan wali Bhindi, Besan Cheela, Besan Ladoo, etc

Health Benefits of Chickpeas: Source

• Chickpeas are rich in protein and fiber, contain a moderate amount of calories and a good source of several vitamins and minerals. 
• Chickpeas make a filling food that may help lower appetite and reduce calorie intake at meals thus aiding in weight management.
• Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein, making them an appropriate food choice for those who do not eat animal products.
• Chickpeas have a low GI and are also a good source of fiber and protein, all of which contribute to healthy blood sugar control.
• Being high in fiber, chickpeas benefit your digestion by increasing the number of healthy bacteria in your gut and helping waste flow efficiently through your digestive tract.
• They are easy on the pocket and easily available in most grocery stores. They are versatile, many dishes can be cooked with them, making an excellent meat alternative in vegetarian and vegan meals.

                                   

Dietary tips:

• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Sugar-free
• Oil-free

Chana Time @ FoodieMondayBlogHop

Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a gourmet Facebook group where a bunch of talented food bloggers from around the globe share their delicious food creations every Monday depending upon any one of the chosen themes. All the bloggers take turns to suggest two themes each week and the theme that wins maximum vote is finalized. This is the 252nd week on this group and it was Mayuri di to suggest the theme. C with Chickpeas was the theme that won with maximum votes. Mayuri di suggested that we showcase our food recipes with chana as the key ingredient. We could use the black/brown variety or the white one (kabuli chana) but not the flour (Besan). It is pretty hot these days so I did not want to cook something elaborate so chose this simple yet filling and nutritious Chickpea Mango Salad. Meanwhile do not forget to check Mayuri di's Chickpea Quinoa Burger and the Moroccan Couscous Salad that are on my to-do list next.

                                              

Preparation Time:10 minutes

Cooking Time: Nil

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soaked and boiled chickpeas / Canned Chickpeas
• 1 large ripe mango
• 1 onion, preferably red onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 small cucumber
• 2-3 green chilies
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
• Rock salt to taste
• Small bunch of fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. To begin with, making this chickpea and mango salad, first, peel and dice the mango. Keep aside. Similarly, wash all the veggies and pat dry using a kitchen towel. Finely chop the red onions, tomatoes, cucumber, green chilies, and coriander leaves. Now in a mixing bowl take the chopped mango, veggies, and boiled chickpeas.

2.  Season the salad with rock salt, freshly crushed black pepper, and lemon juice. Give everything a good toss. Taste the salad and add more seasonings if required. Our healthy and delicious chickpea mango salad is ready to serve!

Recipe Notes:

• I have used soaked and boiled white chickpeas in this salad. You may use the canned chickpeas instead.
• Boiled kidney beans can also be added along with chickpeas in this salad. 
• Any bean can replace chickpeas in this salad.
• Use any non-fibrous variety of ripe mango that is firm to make the salad.
•  Finely chopped green chilies provide a spicy kick to the salad. However, you may skip it if serving the salad to kids.
• Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves add a refreshing flavor to the salad. You may use mint leaves also or replace the cilantro with fresh mint leaves
• I have used ripe red tomatoes (de-seeded), cucumber, red onions. You may use any vegetable of your choice like bell peppers, carrots, etc. Boiled sweet corn and green peas can also be used.

I hope a few of you would love to try out this recipe. If you do so, feel free to share your feedback with us in the form of likes and comments in the comment section below this post. All your suggestions are also more than welcome. If you like my work and feel it is worth following, do hit the follow button at the top right corner of this blog. Your appreciation means a lot to me. For more recipes and new updates follow us on social media.

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