I came up with this recipe when I was living in Belize (lucky me!) and papaya season was upon us.
We ate so much of the fruit, I had to start thinking of other ways to enjoy it so – putting it in a fresh summer salad, with a glorious crunch from the chickpeas, seemed the perfect way forward!
In the spirit of seasonality, depending on where you're located, you can exchange other fruit and veg using this recipe as a basic formula. Why not try beans and apple, broccoli and mango or kale and strawberries...
Ingredients
T = tablespoon t = teaspoon
For the salad:
1 can chickpeas (drained)
1 t chilli powder
12 - 15 asparagus heads
Big dollop dairy-free butter
Olive oil
1 t garlic minced (paste or fresh)
½ t Ginger paste
2 big handfuls sliced spinach
¼ large red onion
2 T fresh chopped parsley
¼ large papaya
2 T roasted papaya seeds (optional)
For the dressing:
1 heaped t Dijon mustard
½ fresh lime
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ t maple syrup/agave
Olive oil
Pop the oven on 350°F/180°C and put the chickpeas on a roasting tray with a solid splash of olive oil, chilli powder and salt n pepper. Pop these in the oven for 25 mins, poking and shaking intermittently. These are going to crisp up and be just fantastic.
Mix up your dressing: 4 tbsp olive oil, the dijon mustard, lime, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and healthy salt and pepper seasoning.
Slice your papaya into slices about 1/3 cm thick, and no bigger than 1.5 inches long. Then slice your onion, into very fine slices width ways. In a large bowl add the spinach, sliced papaya, onion, and chopped parsley.
Get a griddle or a frying pan on with a dash of olive oil, dairy-free butter, garlic and ginger paste and once the butter is melted add the asparagus to the pan, tossing frequently to get an even coverage. These should only take 5 - 8 minutes.
When the asparagus is done, with a bit of colour on all sides and tender to the bite, the chickpeas should also be ready and crisp to perfection.
Add the chickpeas, asparagus, papaya, papaya seeds and half of the dressing to the bowl n mix thoroughly. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side, enjoy!