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Chickpeas with spicy flaxseed paste
Serves 3-4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 3tbsp brown or golden flaxseed
- 3tbsp awaze dipping sauce (see recipe, below)
- 400g cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- injera, to serve
Awaze dipping sauce - MAKES AROUND 95G
- 25g berbere spice blend (see recipe, below)
- 80ml tej (honey wine), or1⁄4 tsp clear honey whisked together with 80ml medium-dry white wine
Berbere spice blend - MAKES AROUND 55G
- 50g dried medium-hot red chillies, such as guajillo
- 1⁄2tsp nigella seeds
- 1⁄2tsp cloves
- 1⁄2tsp ajowan (bishop’s weed) or equal amounts of dried thyme and cumin seeds
- 1⁄2tbsp onion powder
- 1tsp garlic powder
- 1tsp ground ginger
- 1⁄2tsp ground cardamom
- 1⁄4tsp dried besobela (Ethiopian basil) or dried Thai basil
- pinch ground cinnamon
- 1⁄2tbsp sea salt
Method
First, dry-toast and grind the flaxseed. Heat a small, dry frying pan over a medium-to-low heat, add the flaxseed and lightly dry-toast for around 2 minutes, stirring and shaking the pan, until aromatic. Transfer to a dish and leave to cool. Once cool, grind using an electric spice or coffee grinder. You should have around 150g ground flaxseed.
In a flameproof casserole or sauté pan, heat 2tbsp water over a low heat and stir in 1tbsp of the awaze dipping sauce. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continually, and then gradually work in the remaining 2tbsp of awaze, along with the flaxseed and 250ml water. Reduce the heat to its lowest possible level, cover and cook, stirring frequently, for 20 minutes. Add in a touch more water if it looks like it’s drying out – it should still be a bit runny at the end.
Meanwhile, place the chickpeas in a saucepan and cover with 500ml water. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and soak in the liquid until ready to use.
Drain the chickpeas, reserving around 240ml of the liquid. Add the chickpeas to the casserole, generously season with salt and mix well. Tip in some of the reserved cooking water if needed so that the sauce is a touch runny and evenly coats the chickpeas. Cook for 2 minutes to combine the flavours before serving.
Awaze dipping sauce
Place the berbere spice blend in a small bowl and whisk with whichever liquid you are using until smooth and it runs easily off a spoon. Add a touch more liquid if needed. Store in an airtight container, chilled.
Berbere spice blend
Remove and discard the stems of the chillies and, if a hot variety, shake out the seeds. Grind in an electric spice grinder and transfer to a mixing bowl. Heat a small, dry frying pan over a medium-to- low heat and separately dry-toast the nigella seeds, cloves and ajowan for around 2 minutes each, stirring and shaking the pan until aromatic. Transfer to the mixing bowl, add the onion powder, garlic powder, ginger, cardamom, basil, cinnamon and salt and combine. Working in batches if needed, grind all of the spices together to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
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