Prepare the chickpeas. After draining and rinsing the chickpeas, spread them onto a clean tea towel or paper towels. Gently roll them around to dry them completely. Look for the skins to start splitting slightly—this helps them absorb the dressing later.

Dice the cucumber. Cut the cucumber into neat 1cm cubes. You want a uniform size so every forkful has an even crunch. The cubes should look like small dice, not ragged chunks, and the edges should be clean and sharp.

Finely chop the onion. Dice the red onion as small as you can manage—about half a centimetre. If you see tears forming or smell that sharp onion aroma, you're doing it right. For a milder bite, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.

Make the dressing in the bowl. In your large salad bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the mixture looks slightly cloudy and emulsified—you should smell the lemon and cumin mingling together.

Combine everything. Add the dried chickpeas, diced cucumber, red onion, and cherry tomatoes (if using) to the bowl. Toss gently but thoroughly with salad servers. Every piece should look lightly glistening, not drenched. The chickpeas should be coated but not sitting in a pool of dressing.

Add fresh herbs. Sprinkle the chopped parsley or mint over the top and fold through gently. The green flecks should be evenly distributed, and you should catch a fresh, herby scent as you mix.

Rest and serve. Let the salad sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. During this time, the cucumber will release a tiny bit of juice, the chickpeas will soak up the dressing, and the flavours will marry. The salad should look vibrant and glossy, not watery.