Grown and Gathered: Chickpea and cauliflower bowls

Chickpea and cauliflower bowls

SERVES 4

TIME: 1 HOUR

120 g (1⁄2 cup) tahini

125 g (1⁄2 cup) natural yoghurt (see page 170)

1⁄2 teaspoon unre ned salt

4 mint sprigs, leaves picked and nely chopped

6 cups cooked chickpeas (as per preparation guide on page 147), cooking liquid reserved

2 soured wholegrain pizza bases (see page 157), toasted until crisp, broken into smallish pieces

Roasted cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower (about 1 kg without leaves), cut into small orets

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

2 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon unrefined salt

extra-virgin olive oil

To serve

3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or coarsely chopped almonds

ground sumac
ground cumin
dried chilli akes (optional) extra-virgin olive oil

This dish is based on chickpea ‘fatteh’ (meaning crushed or crumbs) – serious Syrian comfort food. The addition of spiced roast cauliflower to the classic chickpea, yoghurt and tahini combination offers a soft texture and earthy sweetness in perfect contrast to the crunch of the toasted bread and nuts. This is super-tasty, super-nutrient-rich food! When the colder months are upon you and you come in from outside feeling like you are freezing right to the bone, a warm bowl of these silky, yoghurty chickpeas will make you feel human again.

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced.

Start with the roasted cauliflower. Combine all of the ingredients and a generous splash of oil in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Spread in single layers on baking trays and bake for 45–50 minutes until the cauli ower is well cooked, crispy and almost black around the edges.

Meanwhile, place the tahini, yoghurt, salt and mint in a saucepan with half of the cooked chickpeas and 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) of the reserved chickpea cooking liquid. Crush the chickpeas with the back of a fork or potato masher and mix together until you form a thick, silky sauce. If it seems too runny, add more chickpeas, if too thick, add more of the reserved cooking liquid. And don’t worry if it’s not totally smooth.

Add 2 cups of the remaining chickpeas to the sauce and place the pan on the stove. Heat to just below a simmer but don’t boil. Keep warm.

When the cauliflower is ready, divide half of the chickpea mixture between four bowls, followed by half of the cauliflower and half of the pizza base pieces. Cover with the remaining chickpea mixture, then top with the reserved plain chickpeas and the remaining cauliflower and pizza pieces. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, a pinch of sumac, cumin and chilli akes (if using), and a generous drizzle of oil. Serve steaming hot.

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