John and I are heading on our honeymoon next month and it’s pretty much all I can think about.  I was craving a simple salad and before I knew it I was making tzatziki.  In this case, a vegan tzatziki that gets creaminess from a chickpea flour roux and soaked cashews.  Chickpea on chickpea and cucumber on cucumber with a double wham in the dressing and the salad.  The result was a crunchy salad with a creamy, flavorful dressing that I devoured.

You’ll need:

For Tzatziki

• 1 medium cucumber (I used an English Cucumber)- grated
• 0.25 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 0.25 cup cashews, soaked for 4 hours or overnight
• Salt/pep
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

For salad

• 4 Persian cucumbers, sliced (the little cucs)
• 1 bunch radishes, sliced
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup parsley
• Nigella Seeds (optional, for garnish)
• 3 scallions, chopped

To Make:

1. Place grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve and press out as much liquid as possible.
2. In saucepan whisk together water and flour until smooth.  Cook over medium heating, whisking pretty much constantly, for 6 minutes until the mixture is like a roux.
3. Place the flour mixture and all the dressing ingredients except the cucumber and dill in a blender and blend for one minute.  Place in bowl and stir in cucumber and dill.  Season to taste.  Set in fridge for four hours (I didn’t make it that long but that’s the goal).
4. Combine salad ingredients in a bowl and toss with the tzatziki.  Garnish with nigella seeds and serve.

Inspired by DollyandOatmeal