“The first time I tried avocado was here in North America. I was intrigued by its creaminess, and I suspected it would go well with Indian spices and with chickpeas. To grind cumin and cardamom, I use a coffee grinder reserved for this purpose.
With cardamom, I remove the seeds from the pod and just use the seeds. I prefer green cardamom to black. Avocados are a good source of dietary fiber, health promoting monounsaturated fats, vitamin C, and potassium (good for preventing muscle cramps). Once I learned all this I began using them on a regular basis in my cooking.” Shares Bal Arneson about her nutritious salad recipe.
Serves 4
Salad & Dressing
2 Tbsp (30 mL) olive oil
1 Tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 Tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped ginger
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground cardamom
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cumin
1⁄8 tsp (0.5 mL) Spanish paprika
1⁄8 tsp (0.5 mL) salt
4 avocados, sliced
14 oz (398 mL) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped green onion
To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, ginger, cardamom, cumin, paprika, and salt in a small bowl and mix well.
Combine the avocados, chickpeas, and green onion in a large bowl and toss gently. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss to thoroughly coat the ingredients.
PHOTOS : Tracey Kusiewicz from Bal’s Quick and Healthy Indian (Whitecap Books)