Crunchy Salad with firecracker Chickpeas and Peanut sauce

Ingredients

• Chopped lettuce (or other crunchy greens)
• Grated or thinly sliced carrots
• thinly sliced red bell pepper
• thinly slices zucchini or cucumber
• chopped cilantro (or scallions for garnish)
• peanuts for garnish (optional)
• 1 recipe Peanut sauce
• Or this Peanut Sauce
• 15 oz can chickpeas (drained (save the aquafaba for meringue) or 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste (depends on if chickpeas were salted)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cornstarch (or other starch)
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (such as frank's hot sauce)
• 1.5 tsp sriracha (or other asian chile garlic sauce)
• 1.5 to 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 to 3 tbsp raw sugar (or brown sugar or other)
• 2 tbsp water

Steps

1. 1

   Chop up the veggies, toss and place in serving bowl.

2. 2

   In a skillet, add the chickpeas, oil, salt, cayenne, garlic and mix well. Cook over medium heat for a minute. Add cornstarch and mix to coat.

3. 3

   Add the sauces, vinegar, water, sugar and mix well. Cook until the sauce thickens, stir occasionally. 4 to 5 minutes. Taste carefully and adjust heat and sweet if needed.

4. 4

   Cool slightly, add to the salad bowl.

5. 5

   Make the peanut sauce. Adjust consistency to preference for the dressing by adding more or less water. or add some coconut milk

6. 6

   Drizzle the salad with peanut sauce, cilantro or scallions and serve.

7. 7

   Alternatively, add a few tbsp more water to the firecracker chickpeas during cooking and use the firecracker sauce to dress the salad.

8. 8

   For variation, use kale, greens, other veggies. Use lentils to make firecracker lentils.