CRUNCHY ROASTED CHICKPEA TACOS

Crunchy Roasted Chickpea Tacos image

Roasted chickpeas aren't just a fun snack, they make an excellent plant-based filling for tacos. The trick to getting them super crispy is to pat the chickpeas completely dry before seasoning. For the finishing touch, channel the flavors of falafel and drizzle the tacos with a spicy tahini sauce!

Provided by Gabriela Rodiles

Time 30m

Yield 6 tacos

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1 tablespoon olive oil or neutral oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder mixed with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small red or yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 radishes, thinly sliced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 orange
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
Six 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
1/3 cup corn nuts or corn chips or tortilla chips, crushed

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Toss the chickpeas with the oil, cumin, garlic salt and a few grinds of pepper in a medium bowl. Spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden and crispy in spots, about 20 minutes.
While the chickpeas roast, combine the onion, radishes, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in another medium bowl. Make sure the vegetables are completely submerged and set aside to slightly pickle, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the tahini, lime or lemon juice, hot sauce, 1/4 cup water and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a third medium bowl until smooth.
Using a sharp knife (chef's or paring), cut both ends off the orange. Stand the orange on one end and cut away the peel and white pith, following the contour of the fruit. Working over a small bowl, carefully cut in between the membranes to remove the orange segments, letting them drop into the bowl; discard any seeds. Cut the segments in half crosswise. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into a fourth medium bowl, then add the avocado and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and mash together with a potato masher.
Carefully toast 1 of the tortillas directly over a medium-high flame on a gas burner, watching closely, until dark char marks appear, about 1 minute. (If you have an electric burner, toast the tortillas in a dry cast-iron skillet.) Use heatproof tongs to flip the tortilla and repeat on the other side. Transfer to a large serving platter and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Spread some of the mashed avocado on each of the tortillas (this will act as a ''glue'' for the chickpeas). Dividing evenly, top with the roasted chickpeas, pickled onions and radishes, oranges and corn nuts (or crushed chips), then drizzle with the tahini sauce.