Koussa fattoush

Grilled zucchini lays the bed for this vibrant mix of herbs and veggies, topped with sumac and, of course, Lebanese flatbread.

• serves

  4

• prep

  24 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

"Chef Joseph Abboud shares this inventive, many-textured salad as his ode to summer…using the grey zucchini, golden fried Lebanese bread, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas…effortless and elegant and very much Joseph’s own creation. If you are able to char the zucchini on charcoal, so much the better - vegetables contain sugars and to roast them like this unlocks a new world of sweetness." Maeve O'Meara, Food Safari Earth 

Ingredients

• 50 g (¼ cup) chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 tsp salt, plus extra to taste
• 3 large Lebanese zucchini, top and tailed
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• 2 pieces Lebanese flatbread, split in half and cut into small triangles about 2 cm wide
• ⅓ red onion, very finely sliced
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• juice of 1 lemon
• ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, torn
• 95 g (⅓ cup) Greek-style plain yoghurt
• sumac, for sprinkling

Soaking time: overnight

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas, then place in saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the heat, stir in the salt, then stand in the liquid until cool.

While the chickpeas are cooling, preheat a charcoal barbecue. Cut the zucchini in half lengthways and place in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper toss to coat well. Char-grill the zucchini for 5 minutes on both sides or until well caramelised, charred and soft in the centre. Transfer to a serving plate and season with sea salt. Set aside. 

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 180°C. Fry the flatbread in batches until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towel. Season with salt. 

Place the onion in a small bowl and gently squash over the tomatoes- their juices will become part of the dressing.  Add the drained chickpeas, lemon juice, parsley and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and toss to combine well, then adjust to taste – it may need a little more lemon, salt or oil. 

To serve, season the yoghurt with a pinch of salt and spoon over the zucchini. Top with the fried bread and spoon over the chickpea mixture. Sprinkle with sumac and serve immediately. 

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Emma Warren. Creative concept by Belinda So.

Brand-new series Food Safari Earth airs Thursdays at 8pm on SBS then on SBS On Demand. For recipes and more visit the program site right here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

"Chef Joseph Abboud shares this inventive, many-textured salad as his ode to summer…using the grey zucchini, golden fried Lebanese bread, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas…effortless and elegant and very much Joseph’s own creation. If you are able to char the zucchini on charcoal, so much the better - vegetables contain sugars and to roast them like this unlocks a new world of sweetness." Maeve O'Meara, Food Safari Earth