The only thing to say about this crunchy chickpea sandwich is that it’s tasty!
Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) are loved around the world and are found in most pantries. Yet chickpeas often end up a side dish or whipped into a pot of hummus. Boring!
We’ve all bean there and done that. There’s more to chickpeas than just hummus. It’s time for garbanzos to take the limelight.
Ingredients
This crunchy chickpea sandwich gives garbanzo beans the limelight.
Toasted Almonds:
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 cup raw almonds
Sandwich Filling:
3 cups cooked chickpeas
1 avocado
3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3/4 cup chopped red onion (1/2 medium onion)
1/3 cup chopped dill, fresh
1/3 cup chopped celery*
1 to 2 tsp. of your favourite hot sauce (I use Pili Pili sauce from the Deli in Oyster Bay)
1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
8-12 slices bread, toasted
Dijon mustard, lettuce, and tomato
*Local celery in Dar tends to be very potent; you may want to lessen the amount you add or it could overpower the other flavours in the filling.
Toasted Almonds:
Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
1. Mix together all the liquid ingredients in a small bowl and combine paprika, and garlic powder in a separate bowl.
Stir the almonds into the liquid and coat fully. Scoop the almonds out and add them to the bowl of dry ingredients, stir and shift until well seasoned. Scoop out and place on a lined baking sheet (parchment paper works best).
Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stir them, and put them back for another 5 more minutes. Take them out and let them cool.
Put it Together:
1. Mix together chickpeas, avocado, and lemon juice in a big bowl and mash it all together. Some chunks are fine, but the combination should bind (If you have trouble getting it to bind, add a scoop of tahini).
2. Fold in the onion, dill, celery, hot sauce, salt, and pepper, and then mix it all together.
3. Once the almonds have cooled, chop them up and add them to the bowl.
Serve filling on toasted bread with Dijon mustard, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Note: Best enjoyed the day it’s made. It will keep in the fridge but will lose some of its crunch.
