Black Chickpea Tikki Salad Bowl with Lemon-Tahini Drizzle

INGREDIENTS

For the tikki/cutlets:

1 cup dried black chickpeas (kala chana), soaked overnight and cooked

1 medium boiled potato

1 teaspoon ginger (peeled and freshly grated or ground)

¼ teaspoon coriander powder

¼ teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon chili powder

A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons rice flour or chickpea flour (besan)

Ghee or oil, for shallow frying

Sesame seeds, for sprinkling (optional)

For the salad base:

2 cups lettuce leaves, torn or chopped

1 medium tomato, diced

½ cucumber, diced

2–3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped

2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds (for garnish, if desired)

For the lemon-tahini dressing:

¼ cup tahini (see homemade recipe below)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon chili powder

Salt, to taste

In a large bowl, mash the cooked black chickpeas and boiled potato together with a fork or potato masher. Mash until well combined but still slightly chunky. Don’t over-mash; some texture is good.
Add the ginger, coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder, black pepper, coriander leaves, flour, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well. The mixture should form a soft, cohesive dough that you can shape into cutlets. Add a little more flour if it’s too sticky, or a few drops of water if it’s too dry.
Divide the mixture into 8–10 equal portions and shape each into a small, round tikki (cutlet), about ½ inch thick. (Optional: Sprinkle or press sesame seeds on top.)
Heat ghee or oil in a large nonstick skillet or kadai over medium heat. When hot, add the tikkis in a single layer (working in batches if needed). Shallow-fry for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Drain excess oil.
To make the dressing, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Add a tablespoon or two of water, as needed, until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
To prepare the salad base, divide the lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and coriander leaves between two bowls.
Arrange the warm tikkis on top of the salad, then drizzle generously with the lemon-tahini dressing so it coats both the tikkis and the salad. Sprinkle each bowl with 1–2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (if desired) before serving.

½ cup hulled white sesame seeds

1–2 teaspoons cold-pressed sesame oil (gingelly oil), only if needed for blending

A pinch of salt (optional)

Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over low to medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and just lightly golden (about 3–5 minutes). Do not let them brown, as this can make the tahini bitter.
Let the seeds cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a mixer grinder or blender.
Blend until the seeds form a coarse, crumbly paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Continue blending until the tahini is smooth and creamy.
If the paste is too thick, add cold-pressed sesame oil (gingelly oil) a teaspoon at a time and blend again until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
Add a pinch of salt if desired.