It’s the dressing that requires the most effort in this super-bean salad. In fact, aside from the garbanzo beans, you could personalize the bulk of the salad with potatoes, cucumbers or just about any veggies you’d like, without changing its personality.
But for the dressing, you want to hold true to the key ingredient of calamansi, that tiny citrus sometimes called calamondin or Filipino lime. You’re going to finely chop the calamansi — skin, pulp and all. Only the seeds should be removed.
Tahini and miso, two other sturdy ingredients, are mixed in. After that, it’s a simple matter of folding the dressing into the beans.
Garbanzo Salad with Calamansi-Tahini-Miso Dressing
Ingredients:
• 2 (15.5-ounce) cans garbanzo beans
• 5 ounces spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
Ingredients for dressing:
• 5-6 whole calamansi, available fresh in Asian markets
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 1/2 cup white miso
• Pinch ground turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Drain garbanzo beans and set 1/2 cup of beans to the side. Mash the remaining beans, then mix in the reserved 1/2 cup. Stir in spinach and relish.
To make dressing: Wash calamansi well, then cut in half and remove seeds. Finely chop the remaining fruit, including the skin, making sure to collect all the juice. Combine with remaining dressing ingredients; stir well.
Fold dressing into bean mixture until well-coated. Serves 8.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving (not including salt to taste): 230 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 700 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 9 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
