Chickpea salad

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then leave them in a sieve for a few minutes so the dressing clings instead of turning watery. Toss with chopped cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley, lemon juice and olive oil.

Dress it while the chickpeas are still slightly damp, using plenty of lemon juice or vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Crush a spoonful of chickpeas into the dressing to make it cling more thickly.

Keep it in a sealed container and eat it within three days. If it contains leafy salad, add the leaves just before serving; keep the dressing separate to stop them going limp.

Serve it with grilled halloumi, lamb or falafel, or spoon it into a pitta with crunchy lettuce. For a more filling meal, mix in cooked bulgur wheat or couscous and herbs.

Yes. Soak them overnight, drain, then simmer in fresh water until tender, usually 60–90 minutes; cool them completely before adding the dressing and vegetables.

Butter beans or cannellini beans make a mild, creamy swap, while lentils give a firmer, earthier salad. Lentil salad has 85 kcal per 100 g, compared with 96 kcal in chickpea salad.

Chickpeas add protein and fibre, so the salad is more substantial than one made mainly from vegetables. A serving of chickpea salad provides 4.6 g of protein and 4.7 g of fibre per 100 g.