Balila
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Balila
3rd May, 2018
3rd May, 2018
Balila is a dish made from chickpeas mixed with garlic, salt, cumin and olive oil and is usually served as a hot mezze dish which is popular in the winter months but given the average winter temperatures of Saudi Arabia, it's perfect for a British summer
Torshi are pickled vegetables and are usually stored for a few months before eating but this recipe is a quick pickle that still packs in flavour
Ingredients
Method
Start by making the Torshi which is very simple. Cut the cucumber in half, remove the seeds and finely slice. Put the sliced cucumber in a bowl, add the sumac, salt and lemon juice and leave to one side to marinade
Empty the cooked chickpeas and the juices from the tin into a pan warm through. When warmed, strain the chickpeas with a sieve and reserve the cooking liquid
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil and about 100 mls of the reserved cooking liquid in a bowl and add the crushed garlic, salt and half a teaspoon of the ground cumin. To bring the dressing together, mash three tablespoons of the warmed chickpeas with a fork and add them to the dressing bowl and mix well so the dressing is thicker
To serve, pour the dressing over the chickpeas and give them a mix, sprinkle over the remainder of the cumin and garnish with chopped parsley
Serve the Torshi in a separate bowl to allow your guests to add themselves and make sure you serve it with some pitta to dip
