Take a bag of chick peas - about 500g. Soak them for three or four hours, bring to the boil then simmer until they are still firm, but not hard. That is, without a hard centre but still with plenty of bite. If you cook your own you'll have something with plenty of texture. I could be wrong, but I've never found tinned chick peas any good and they tend to be overcooked. So, after you bring them to the boil - and presuming you have soaked them, they should be done in about twenty five minutes or so.
Drain the chick peas when they are done, rinse them under cold water and drain carefully. Now stick them in a big bowl with three chopped spring onions, half a chopped cucumber, one finely chopped green chilli, a couple of teaspoons of drained and rinsed capers, a good squeeze of lemon juice, a small piece of grated fresh ginger, six chopped cherry tomatoes and lots of freshly ground pepper. Taste for salt. If you want to, add to the salad's instant dressing with some sunflower oil?
Serve straight away if you've used tomatoes and cucumber; if you didn't, then the salad can sit for a few days.
I'd serve this as is, but it would be good with grilled fish or chicken. Maybe from the barbecue? Also, if I had not added the ginger, I might like the salad with some grilled halloumi cheese OR I might add crumbled feta cheese to the salad. Cut everything really finely, add a pinch of green mango powder, a couple of teaspoons of cumin seed, leave out the capers, add a couple of cloves of finely chopped garlic and then some roasted black urad dhal and you would have a very fine South Indian salad. Check out the selection of dhals (or dals) at www.spicesofindia.com
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