Described as ‘street food‘ in Yotem Ottolenghi’s cookbook Jerusalem, this is a marriage of simple ingredients made in heaven–i.e., chickpeas and cumin go together like a horse and carriage.
I have some small leaf spinach in the fridge which needs to be eaten and Meredith’s still on the detox.
Spinach salad–I’m thinking.
No bacon though–one way to liven up raw spinach.
No feta/goat’s cheese either–another.
Nuts–yes, some cob nuts or walnuts roasted would do it.
Then I remember spotting Balilah street food in the book.
Eureka! Well, overstated perhaps, but turns out to be a good idea.
Dress the spinach leaves beforehand and add a pile of Balilah to the green expanse and you have a simple but delicious lunch.
450 gms cooked chickpeas–from a bottle preferably, but tinned [canned] if not
4 tbs spring [scallions] or red onions–sliced thinly
1 small lemon–peeled and de-pithed; then sliced as thin as possible with a sharp knife. Take your time–it’s worth it to get the freshness without too much tooth-grinding tartness at one bite
2.5 tsp ground cumin
3 tbs olive oil (best quality possible)
salt and pepper
Drain the chickpeas from the jar/tin and reheat them gently in a little water (to keep them from drying out as they are warmed).
Drain, put in a bowl, add the olive oil and turn the chickpeas over in the oil.
Add the onion, cumin, lemon, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
The spinach
3 good handfuls of young, small-leafed spinach (usually more tender for eating raw)–washed and spun dry and laid out in a large salad bowl
The vinaigrette:
Pulp a peeled garlic clove in a pinch of salt.
Mix in half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and mix to a paste.
Add three or four tablespoons of olive oil.
Whisk together.
Pour a couple of tablespoons over the spinach and turn it over thoroughly.
Add the pile of Balilah to the centre of the green sward.
Serve.
Robin Ellis 
I’m assuming you add the lemon in to the chickpeas at some point? Sounds good!
Thanks Nancy–yes!
This looks delicious! I will definitely try it soon.
Pictures look like garbanzo beans, so I looked in my pantry and found the can….CHICKPEAS!
I have this, all of this: red onion, ground cumin, olive oil (of course), Dijon, red wine vinegar, garlic, and a lovely little lemon tree in my yard with fresh lemons! And, alas, baby spinach that needs to be eaten.
It IS what’s for lunch. Thanks Robin, you are awesome (and I do not even have to go to the market).
Sounds yummy and healthy, as well! A must try!
Tooth grinding tartness!! Hee hee! Thanks for this. Lovely fresh baby spinach — I imagine you picked it from your own garden? So much in the supermarket right now looks like tired old newsprint!
Can’t wait to read your new book,
Nancy N from NYC
“picked it from your own garden”–I wish! We have some excellent local growers–so next best thing, Nancy.
Would tangerine work as well as a substitute for the lemon with the chick peas, onion and cumin? We are in operation snowbound stage here in Ohio, USA.
Well you could try it, Andrea! It will be different.
We were finally able to get out and about and acquired the appropriate lemon. 🙂 I made this for our lunch today. My sons and I LOVED it! Hubby wasn’t game for trying it. I hope you don’t mind but I posted a link to this recipe on my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/asheslin to share with friends. Something this good demands it. 🙂 The hard part was not going back for seconds!
Delighted, Andrea–thank you.