Photo courtesy of Madz Rehorek

We pretty much owe our lives to chickpeas.

From the creamy hummus we sold during our early days at farmers’ markets, to the crunchy falafels under the roof of the shop, and onwards to our current salad days. This recipe is an old favorite; first we boil the chickpeas until soft, then we fry them with a bunch of spices and rest them on a wedge of roasted pumpkin. Everybody who smells it wants a piece.

Serves 6

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F fan-forced.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. Drain the chickpeas and add them to the pan, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, until tender. Drain.
3. Meanwhile, place the pumpkin in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt, then transfer to the oven and roast for about 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and caramelized.
4. Heat the vegetable or sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat and fry the garlic for 2 minutes until golden. Reduce the heat to medium and add the capsicum, cumin, paprikas, 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 30–60 seconds, until fragrant, then add the chickpeas. Toss together for 1–2 minutes, then remove from the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice.
5. Arrange the pumpkin on a plate, spoon over the chickpeas and garnish with coriander leaves.