Moroccan Chickpea and Olive Salad

Chickpea and olive salad is easy to make and absolutely delicious.
Moroccan recipes often include a fair amount of olives, and this dish is no exception.

This wonderful vegan salad can be made with green and or black olives, chickpeas, and cured lemon with lots of healthy herbs and spices.





Ethnic recipes draw from a variety of plant based ingredients, as well as powerful herbs and spices- Ethnic recipes are full of high energy ingredients which are so good for you.

The olives can sometimes make this recipe a little salty, but I toned it down by soaking the olives overnight in water.

What is cured or pickled lemon?

 My husband's Middle Eastern family call it " Lee- moon  Me-cha- layl" and they consider it quite an appetite enhancer! My husband eats it with everything!! 

Personally, I have a difficult time warming up to cured lemon. I find it one of those things that is an acquired taste. It's taken me a while.

If you are going to make this recipe, it would be easiest to purchase the lemon already cured.

Where can you buy cured lemon?
In any Middle Eastern grocery store or you can purchase it through Amazon.. Organic Preserved Lemons by Les Moulins Mahjoub (7.05 ounce)

If you can't get the cured lemon, just add some lemon zest to the recipe.
It won't be exactly the same, but it will be good.

Ingredients: 

3 cups cooked chickpeas, warm
1/2 cup of green pitted olives
1/8 cup of diced very small cured lemon
1 cup of chopped tomato
1/2 cup of chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons of chopped red onion
3/4 cup of chopped parsley and or cilantro

Dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
Salt and cracked pepper
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ( or more)  of Moroccan Harissa ( hot spice)

Directions: 
Mix chickpeas, olives, cured lemon, parsley, cilantro, red pepper, red onion, and tomato in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine ingredients for dressing and pour over the chickpea mixture.

Serve and enjoy

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