Black-eyed Pea Salad

This colourful and enticing salad is easy to prepare and wonderfully satisfying.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup/100g black-eyed peas
1/4 cup/60ml olive oil
4-5 small cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Salt to taste
250g cottage cheese (Indian Paneer), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
10 cherry tomatoes (about 60g), cut into halves
1 medium red bell pepper (about 110g), finely chopped
50g mixed salad leaves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Ground black pepper to taste

Method
Place the black-eyed peas in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the legumes are just tender, 30-40 minutes.  Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.Add 1/8 cup/30ml olive oil, garlic and salt. Toss to combine.

Heat the remaining oil in a heavy bottomed pan or kadai over low heat. Add the cheese cubes in batches and fry until golden on both sides. Turn them as necessary to ensure even colouring. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cubes to a plate lined with paper kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Dab the upper surface of the cheese cubes with another paper towel.

When ready to serve, add the cheese cubes, tomatoes, red bell pepper, salad leaves, lemon juice and ground black pepper to the black-eyed peas. Toss to combine. Adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately.