BUCKWHEAT & CHICKPEA PESTO SALAD

Buckwheat & Chickpea Pesto Salad image

Buckwheat groats and Italian black chickpeas are tossed with a light basil and mint pesto, before being topped with spicy Thai chiles for a nice and spicy vegetarian meal. The basil and mint along with the spicy chiles has a flavor that I find blends very well with cold milk. The texture of the salad also is a great mix with milk.

Provided by got milk?(R)

Categories Trusted Brands: Recipes and Tips got milk?®

Time 25m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 10

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Ingredients

2 cups water
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 cup buckwheat groats, rinsed
10 mint leaves
10 basil leaves
¼ cup raw cashews
1 ½ cups cooked black chickpeas or regular chickpeas
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed
2 Thai chiles, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

Bring the water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add the salt and rinsed buckwheat groats. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until the groats have almost tripled in size, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
Lightly pound mint leaves, basil leaves, and raw cashews with a pestle in a mortar until they begin to release their own oils. Churn the pestle to create a chunky paste. Add a bit of oil if necessary. The texture should be chunky, not too smooth.
Fluff the groats with a fork. Drain off any excess water. Transfer the buckwheat to a large salad bowl. Add the chickpeas and drizzle with a bit of oil, mixing well. Add pesto and mix well, drizzling more oil if necessary. Add the chiles and coriander. Mix well. Serve warm or cold. Best served with ice-cold milk.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 322.3 calories, Carbohydrate 31.8 g, Fat 19.3 g, Fiber 5.5 g, Protein 7.3 g, SaturatedFat 2.9 g, Sodium 403.2 mg, Sugar 0.5 g