Charred Plum Chickpea Fattoush Cups with Sumac Yogurt

Charred Plum Chickpea Fattoush Cups with Sumac Yogurt 🍑🥙🌿 This is a fresh, crunchy vegetarian fattoush with a warm late-summer twist: plum wedges are quickly charred until their edges turn glossy and sweet, then layered with chickpeas, crisp pita, cucumber, tomato, radish, herbs and a cool sumac yogurt. It is light enough for lunch, bright enough for a side dish, and sturdy enough to prep in parts ahead of time. Yield: 4 cups or bowls Time: about 30 minutes Ingredients For the salad cups: - 4 ripe but firm plums, pitted and cut into wedges - 1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry - 2 pita breads, torn into bite-size shards - 1 small cucumber, diced - 180 g cherry tomatoes, halved - 5 radishes, thinly sliced - 1 small romaine heart or 2 little gem lettuces, leaves separated or chopped - 25 g parsley, roughly chopped - 15 g mint leaves, roughly chopped - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the pita and plums - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice - 1 tsp lemon zest - 1/2 tsp ground cumin - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to taste - Black pepper For the sumac yogurt: - 220 g thick Greek yogurt or dairy-free thick yogurt - 1 tbsp lemon juice - 1 small garlic clove, finely grated - 1 1/2 tsp ground sumac, plus extra to finish - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, optional - Pinch of fine sea salt To serve: - Extra mint or parsley - Toasted sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds, optional - Lemon wedges - A final drizzle of olive oil Method 1. Make the yogurt. Stir the yogurt with lemon juice, grated garlic, sumac, honey or maple if using, and a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust with more lemon or sumac until it is tangy and creamy. Chill while you prepare the salad. 🥣 2. Toast the pita. Heat the oven to 190C / 375F. Toss torn pita with a little olive oil, a pinch of salt and black pepper. Spread on a tray and bake for 8-10 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Let it cool so it becomes snappy. 3. Char the plums. Heat a griddle pan or heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Brush plum wedges lightly with olive oil. Place them cut-side down and cook for 60-90 seconds per side, just until the surface caramelizes and the fruit softens slightly. Keep them in wedges rather than jammy pieces. 4. Season the chickpeas. In a large bowl, toss the chickpeas with cucumber, tomatoes, radish, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and black pepper. Let this sit for 5 minutes so the chickpeas absorb the dressing. 5. Add herbs and leaves. Fold in parsley, mint and lettuce just before serving. The herbs should stay vivid and the leaves should still have crunch. 6. Build the cups. Spoon the chickpea mixture into lettuce cups, small bowls or shallow plates. Add the charred plum wedges, crisp pita shards and generous spoonfuls of sumac yogurt. 7. Finish. Dust with a little extra sumac, add more herbs, seeds if using, lemon wedges and a small drizzle of olive oil. Serve while the pita is still crisp. ✨ Serving and storage tips - Best texture: assemble right before serving so the pita stays crisp. - Make ahead: yogurt can be made 24 hours ahead; pita can be toasted a few hours ahead and stored airtight. - Lunch prep: pack the chickpea salad, yogurt, plums and pita separately, then combine at the last minute. - Swap ideas: use nectarines, peaches or apricots instead of plums; use white beans instead of chickpeas; add feta if you want a saltier finish. - If the plums are very ripe, skip the hard char and warm them gently for only 30 seconds per side. Save this one for a colorful salad cup with sweet fruit, creamy yogurt and proper crunch. 💚 Tasteloom.club - easy recipes for everyday cravings