Warm freekeh and chickpea salad with pomegranate

Recipe by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Photo by Rachel Zammit Cutajar

Salads have a bad reputation for being boring and unsatisfying. The right combination of grain, beans and spices will ensure you never complain about a salad again. Add a runny fried egg to make almost anything better

Warm freekeh and chickpea salad with pomegranate

Ingredients

• 1 cup freekeh
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 1 large shallot, finely sliced
• 1 tin chickpeas
• Salt and pepper
• ½ lemon, juice only
• 50g raisins
• 1 pomegranate, seeds only
• Handful mint
• Handful dill
• Handful coriander

Yoghurt dressing

• 1 tub Greek yoghurt
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Or 

• 1 egg per serving

Method

1. To make the yoghurt dressing, add the garlic to the yoghurt with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside. 
2. In a medium saucepan add three cups of water along with the freekeh and bring to the boil.
3. Allow to cook for 45 mins until tender.
4. Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds, toasting until fragrant. 
5. Add the chilli flakes and the shallots and fry until crispy at the edges (approx. 2 – 3 mins).
6. Add the chickpeas and continue to fry, stirring as you go along (approx. 3 more mins). 
7. Remove from the heat, add the freekeh, raisins, lemon juice, pomegranate seeds and fresh herbs and mix well.
8. Add a little more olive oil and mix well. 
9. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt dressing or a fried egg on top of each serving.
10. Season with fresh pepper and some more fresh herbs and serve immediately.

This salad may be served warm or cold.