Description
A vibrant and nutritious peanut chickpea rice bowl featuring crispy baked chickpeas tossed in a tangy peanut dressing, served over cooked brown rice with fresh vegetables and garnished with sesame seeds and coriander. This wholesome and flavorful bowl is perfect for a satisfying lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chickpeas and Dressing
- 2 x 400g cans of chickpeas, drained and dried using kitchen paper
- 4 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
- 3 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp chilli oil (optional)
- ½ tsp maple syrup or mild flavoured honey
Vegetables and Serve
- Small bunch of coriander, finely chopped (save some extra whole leaves to serve, optional)
- 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks (no need to peel)
- ½ cucumber, seeds scooped out and cut into half-moons
- ½ red cabbage, finely shredded
- 400g brown rice, cooked
- Sesame seeds, crispy onions or sliced red chilli, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dressing: Heat the oven or air fryer to 200C/190C fan/gas 6. In a bowl, mix crunchy peanut butter, reduced salt soy sauce, lime juice, chilli oil (if using), and maple syrup or honey to create a thick peanut dressing. Season lightly to taste.
- Toss and Bake Chickpeas: Pour the drained and dried chickpeas onto a lined baking sheet or air fryer basket. Toss them with half of the prepared peanut dressing ensuring even coating. Bake in the oven or air fryer for 20-25 minutes until the chickpeas are crispy and golden brown. After baking, leave them to cool for 5 minutes to enhance crispiness.
- Prepare Vegetable Mix: Mix the remaining peanut dressing with enough water to achieve a pourable consistency. In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped coriander, carrot matchsticks, cucumber half-moons, and shredded red cabbage. Season the vegetable mix lightly with salt or pepper as desired.
- Assemble the Bowl: Divide the cooked brown rice between serving bowls. Top the rice with the prepared vegetable mix and then scatter the crispy baked chickpeas on top. Garnish the bowls with whole coriander leaves, sesame seeds, crispy onions, and sliced red chilli according to preference.
Notes
- The chickpeas must be dried thoroughly with kitchen paper before baking to ensure maximum crispiness.
- You can adjust the amount of chilli oil or add sliced red chilli to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Brown rice can be substituted with white rice or quinoa based on preference.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- This recipe is suitable for vegetarians and can be made vegan by ensuring the honey is substituted with maple syrup or another plant-based sweetener.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion/Healthy
Keywords: peanut chickpea rice bowl, crispy chickpeas, peanut dressing, healthy rice bowl, vegetarian bowl, easy lunch, baked chickpeas
