This tasty dip makes a great snack with a few veg sticks. We like to have some of this in the fridge when the yearning for an in-between-meals mouthful gets too great. (From the Hairy Bikers)
89 calories per portion (if serving 6)
67 calories per portion (if serving 8)
- 2 large red peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 heaped tsp ground coriander
- 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
- 1 x 400g/14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 1 long red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
- ½ unwaxed lemon, zest finely grated
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
Preparation method
- Preheat the grill to its hottest setting and line a grill pan or baking tray with foil.
- Cut the peppers in half lengthways, remove the stalks and deseed. Put the pepper halves, cut side down, on the lined tray.
- Place the peppers on a shelf close to the heat and grill for 15 minutes or until the skins are blackened and charred. Remove the pan and leave the peppers for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
- Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the chopped onion, ground coriander and ground cumin. Fry over a medium heat for 3–4 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally, then leave to cool for five minutes.
- Scoop the chopped onion mixture into the bowl of a food processor.
- Peel off the charred pepper skins and chuck them away.
- Tear the pepper flesh into pieces and add to the food processor with the onion. Then add the chickpeas, garlic, chilli, lemon zest and salt and blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. You may need to remove the lid and push the mixture down once or twice with a spatula until you have the consistency you like. Leave it a bit chunkier if you like or make half the chickpeas very smooth and then add the rest for a final blitz.
- Spoon the dip into a serving dish, or into small plastic containers if you want to take some for your lunch box, and eat with pieces of raw carrot, cucumber or other veg, or with dried vegetable crisps. Store it in the fridge and eat within two days.