Jerry Traunfeld’s Chickpea Salad (6 servings)
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 tablespoons peanut oil, or other vegetable oil
1 teaspoon brown mustard seed
½ teaspoon cumin seed
½ teaspoon fennel seed
1/8 to ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped green onion
½ cup whole milk yogurt
Put the chickpeas in a mixing bowl. Pour the oil into a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the mustard seed, partially cover the pan to shield the sputtering seeds, and then reduce the heat to low. When the sputtering slows, uncover, add the cumin, fennel, and chili and cook for about 10 seconds or until the spices are a deeper brown and fragrant. Immediately pour the oil and spices over the chickpeas. Add the lemon juice, salt, cilantro, green onion and yogurt and stir with a rubber spatula until evenly mixed. Serve right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
