2 teaspoons salt. He slowly adds extra virgin olive oil until the
mixture becomes a paste. He stores it in a container covered
with more oil, until ready to use.
If you can’t find okra, you can use an equal amount of zucchini,
unpeeled, cut into spears. The zucchini won’t get as crisp but
has a similar vegetable presence as okra, plus it’s easier to find.
Dale is a fan of canned chickpeas at home but uses dried
chickpeas at The National. To cook your own dried chickpeas,
start the day before and soak the beans overnight with a
teaspoon of baking soda. The next day, strain the chickpeas and
place in cold water along with a cheesecloth sachet filled with
diced onion, garlic, carrot, celery, thyme, bay leaves,
peppercorns, coriander seeds, and cumin seeds. Bring the water
to a simmer and cook until the chickpeas are tender, about 1
hour. After they’re cooked, season them with salt.