Ingredients
| 1 x 120g bag baby spinach, washed and spun dry | |
| ¼ red onion, finely sliced | |
| a handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped | |
| 1 x 300g packet paneer, crumbled into smallish chunks | |
| olive oil, to cook | |
| FOR THE CRISPY CHICKPEAS | |
| 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas or 1 x 400g tin, drained and rinsed well | |
| 2 tablespoons olive oil | |
| ½ teaspoon ground turmeric | |
| ½ teaspoon ground cumin | |
| ½ teaspoon ground coriander | |
| FOR THE CUMIN & LIME DRESSING | |
| 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted & roughly ground | |
| 1 teaspoon honey, melted gently | |
| 1 clove garlic, crushed | |
| 1 long green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped | |
| ¼ cup lime juice | |
| ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil |
This salad is a meal in itself and while it’s ideally eaten immediately after frying the paneer – while it’s still crispy on the outside and soft in the middle – it’s still nice eaten at room temperature or even re-heated the following day if you find yourself with leftovers (see my note below). Lemon juice can be used in place of lime juice, if preferred.
Instructions
| 1. | Preheat the oven to 180°C. |
| 2. | Combine the drained cooked chickpeas, olive oil, ground spices and some salt in a bowl and mix well. |
| 3. | Transfer to an oven tray and roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until crispy and golden. |
| 4. | Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly. |
| 5. | To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a glass jar, screw on the lid and give it all a good shake to mix. |
| 6. | Combine the baby spinach, sliced red onion and chopped coriander in a bowl, then transfer to a serving platter. |
| 7. | Heat a little olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan until medium-hot and cook the paneer (in batches if need be), stirring occasionally until crispy and golden. |
| 8. | Season well with salt. |
| 9. | Scatter the fried paneer over the spinach along with the crispy chickpeas, then drizzle over dressing. |
| 10. | Serve immediately. |
TIPS • Any leftover dressing will store in the fridge for up to 5 days. • Any leftover salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Gently reheat the whole lot in a frying pan over medium heat, until the spinach wilts and the paneer is warmed through, re-check the seasoning, adding a little more salt if needed, drizzle over any extra dressing and serve hot.
Recipes, food styling & dish photography Emma Galloway
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