Fennel & Thyme Chickpea Wraps

This recipe is extremely quick and easy to make. The fennel and thyme chickpeas pair well with the carrot and cucumber slaw, hummus and harissa. Guaranteed you’ll be going back for seconds.

I love chickpeas. They are probably my favourite legume, and one that I often throw into salads, curries or a veggie bowl. Chickpeas are extremely versatile – they can be roasted, pureed into hummus and made into falafel. They are packed with protein and insoluble fibre. 

When we devised this recipe, we decided to showcase chickpeas. Inspired by a spicy chicken wrap from Jamie Oliver, we substituted in the chickpeas to make it vegetarian and put our own twist on the slaw. I love the unsuspecting pairing of thyme and fennel, with the slight touch of sweetness from the honey, and the spice from harissa. 

The hummus recipe comes from Nourish, a Vancouver based cooking school that inspires delicious, simple, and healthy meals. I took a cooking class there called the “Ottolenghi Effect”, which was extremely informative and absolutely delicious. Vancouver folks – I highly recommend you check them out. 

These wraps are simple and quick. The different components are also easy to transport, making them an excellent picnic option. They can be made with corn tortillas, or you can opt to make them grain-free and use lettuce wraps.

—Sarah 

Serves 2–4

Directions for the toasted chickpeas

1. Put a large frying pan on medium heat, and add a splash of olive oil.
2. Add in the chickpeas, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Fry for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas are golden brown.
3. Add the thyme leaves and fennel seeds, and give the pan a good shake
4. Drizzle the honey over the chickpeas, mix well, and leave to caramelize on a low heat for 5–10 minutes

Directions for the slaw

1. There are a couple of ways you can cut the cucumber and carrots. You can use a mandolin to slice the carrots and cucumber into thin strips, or you can peel the carrot and cucumber into ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Once cut, add the carrot and cucumber to a medium bowl.
2. Zest the lemon into a small mixing bowl, then cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice in. Add twice as much olive oil as lemon juice. Add the yogurt and mix well. 
3. Add the dressing to the carrot and cucumber and mix. 

Directions for the hummus

1. If using dried chickpeas, boil the chickpeas until soft (about one hour). If using canned chickpeas, drain the liquid into a bowl and rinse in a colander.
2. Toast cumin seeds in a small frying pan, then grind using a mortar and pestle. 
3. Mix all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, adding water and salt to adjust to your taste. If you used canned chickpeas, use a little of the leftover brine water from the can. 
4. Place in a small bowl, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cumin powder or paprika.

Directions for the wraps

1. You can either use a corn tortilla or a piece of lettuce as your wrap. 
2. Lay a piece of romaine lettuce or a corn tortilla on each plate. Spoon a generous dollop of hummus in the middle of each one, and spread it evenly. 
3. Spoon a little harissa on top of the hummus. Add a little of the slaw on top of the hummus. 
4. Top with the delicious, sticky chickpeas and serve!

Further ideas and modifications

• When we used the corn tortillas, we also added chopped lettuce to the wraps. You could also include thinly chopped cabbage or kale.

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