Red bean salad with a tahini date dressing
Hello Hello! Happy 49th birthday to UAE! Today marks the UAE’s formal nationalisation in 1971. Dubai, UAE has been my home for the last 10 years; The only place that Adya associates to; a place that feels/ is very safe and secure; a place that has everything we need and more that I do not miss home (India) much at all; a place that is truly tolerant and multi cultural; It took me a year almost to get adjusted to Dubai after having lived in India for 25 years. However, I feel more alien now in India strangely :). We celebrated today by cycling with a beautiful view of our burj khalifa :).
Before I moved here, I don’t think I have ever tasted any food middle eastern. However, I am glad I moved here for multiple reasons and exploring food is definitely one of them :D. This basic salad with a tahini date dressing is so yummy, creamy, satiating and filling. I cannot stress enough as to how much I love this recipe. I make this salad very often. It’s healthy, its tasty, it can be put together in minutes (provided you have cooked rajma or canned rajma) and is so hearty. I think I have used a lot of adjectives now. So I am very sure my point here is made. If you don’t have tahini paste on hand, no worries, please check the notes section. In case you try this out, let me know in the comments as to how you like it :).
- 5 tbsp tahini paste
- 2 tbsp date syrup maple syrup/ honey will work fine too
- 1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup rajma/ red kidney beans
- 1 medium red capsicum
- 1 medium green capsicum
- 1 large onion
- a handful fresh parsley coriander leaves work just fine
- 15 whole olives
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Soak 1/2c rajma/ red kidney beans overnight.
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The following morning, drain the water, fill fresh water and pressure cook rajma/ red kidney beans with 1/4t salt for 5-6 whistles.
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Let the pressure release normally. Open and check that the rajma/ red kidney beans is cooked well.
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Let the rajma cool down fully. Set this aside. Meanwhile get going on the salad dressing & veggies chopping.
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In a small bowl, add 5T tahini paste, 2T date syrup, 2T water, 1t red chilli flakes, 1/2t salt.
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Whisk everything together. Set it aside.
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Wash all the veggies and chop them finely – this includes 1 medium red capsicum, green capsicum, 1 large onion, 15 olives & a handful parsley leaves.
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To this add the cooked and cooled down rajma/ red kidney beans.
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Mix everything well.
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Now add the salad dressing & toss everything together.
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Check & adjust salt/ seasonings.
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You can have this salad right away or refrigerate it for a few hours (best way to let the flavours soak in) and then dig in. I love to leave it overnight and have it for lunch the next day.
- Canned beans can be used for this recipe. Just ensure to rinse the canned beans well before using.
- I love the red kidney beans/ rajma cooked well where its easily mashable if needed. This adds to the creamy texture of the salad.
- You can use just green capsicum instead of mixing with colour capsicum. But there is something about the flavour profile increasing mixing the colour capsicums and I love that.
- You can use coriander leaves instead of parsley. I had a bunch on hand but I typically don’t and end up using coriander leaves.
- You can use maple syrup or honey if you don’t have date syrup on hand.
- You can dry roast 3-4T sesame seeds and grind with 1t-2t olive oil if you don’t have store bought tahini paste.
- If you don’t have olives, that’s ok too. Basically the key to this dish is the red kidney beans, capsicum & onions and of course the dressing in itself :).
- If you are going to have the salad immediately, then you may want to add 1-2t water if you find the whole salad a little dry. Leaving it overnight releases the water from the veggies and makes it perfect & creamy for the next day.
Stepwise pictures
Not in pic is the rajma cooking procedure. Basically, soak, drain, cook rajma/ red kidney beans. Set it to cool & carry on with the dressing/ veggies prep while the bean cools down.
Tahini date salad dressing – In a small bowl, add 5T tahini paste, 2T date syrup, 2T water, 1t red chilli flakes, 1/2t salt. Whisk everything together. Set it aside.
Wash all the veggies and chop them finely – this includes 1 medium red capsicum, green capsicum, 1 large onion, 15 olives & a handful parsley leaves. To this add the cooked and cooled down rajma/ red kidney beans. Mix everything well. 
Now add the salad dressing. 
Toss everything together. Check & adjust salt/ seasonings. 
You can have this salad right away. 
.. or refrigerate it for a few hours (best way to let the flavours soak in) and then dig in. I love to leave it overnight and have it for lunch the next day.
