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Since we have tasted a Greek dish in my last post, I would like to take you all on a ride to try the unique flavors of Falafel- a Middle-Eastern food. Today, while thinking about my next recipe to post on my blog, the first thing that struck my mind was Falafel. These Middle East fritters that appear crispy and golden brown on the outside and are soft and a lovely green inside with the aroma of freshly ground herbs when cut open.
When we were in India, I used to travel to Dubai quite often, and every time I visited Dubai, I made sure to eat falafel at least once during my stay there. I remember my last visit, while I was shopping in Dubai Mall, my husband called me to join him for lunch at the food court and when I went to the food court he was sitting at an Italian restaurant and already ordered some pasta for us. There was no way that I would compromise on my food, so I just went to the Lebanese restaurant next to it and my husband had to follow me with the pasta in his hand. It was hilarious!
I love Lebanese food as it offers a wide range of vegetarian dishes in its cuisine that are very nutritious and rich in protein, legumes, and fresh herbs. I have tried almost all the vegetarian varieties of Lebanese food- warm pita bread, Hummus (ground chick peas), Moutabel (baked and mashed eggplant), Labneh (hung yogurt with lemon zest), Tabbouleh (a salad with bulgur, parsley and fresh herbs), Fattoush (a salad mix of vegetables and fried pita chips), Stuffed wine leaves (with rice and fresh greens), Mujaddara (rice cooked with Lebanese lentils and caramelized onions) and Falafel (ground chick peas with herbs), etc. Even their desserts are so yummilicious. My mouth starts watering just thinking about them.
Today I made falafel as an evening appetizer, and it turned out great. Falafel – a traditional Mediterranean dish that has been enjoyed worldwide for centuries. These small fried croquettes made with ground chick peas along with a few herbs and tossed in sesame seeds serves as an appetizer and as a filling, nourishing meal if you fill it with veggies in pita halves and top it with the Tahini sauce. Falafel is an excellent option for vegetarians and vegans as it is a great source of protein and nutrients. I would say you can label it as a healthy and nutritious meal. It’s relatively low in fat and has no cholesterol if you fry it in heart-healthy grape seed oil. I tried both deep fry and shallow fry, and it tastes superb either ways. So, here’s the recipe.
Click here to see the recipe of Tabbouleh on my blog!
Falafel Recipe:
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough water to cover them to soak overnight. They need a minimum of 12-24 hours to fluff well. The next morning, remove them from the water and drain. Let them drain well so that there won’t be any moisture left on them. If you are using the canned chickpeas, then make sure to drain them before use.
Wash, drain and roughly chop the parsley leaves. Peel about 6-7 garlic cloves and chop them. Also, chop some coriander leaves (cilantro) and onions. I just used one medium sized onion. If parsley is not available locally to you, then you can use coriander and mint leaves. Keep some cumin seeds ready. The traditional falafel recipe doesn’t have celery in it, but as I like the aroma of celery, I added a small piece of celery (finely chopped) in my ingredients. Make sure to drain all the leaves before use to avoid excess water in the falafel mix.
Now put all the ingredients (chickpeas, parsley, coriander, cumin seeds, onion, and garlic) into a food processor or blender and blend it coarsely. Do not add any water as the onion itself will leave some moisture into the mix while blending. Mix it once while grinding, to avoid any piece of chunks left over. When it is ground into a coarse paste, transfer it to a large bowl. Add in some cayenne pepper or red chili powder, black pepper, cumin and coriander powder (just a teaspoon as we already added some cumin seeds and fresh coriander leaves in the mix), a pinch of bicarbonate soda, some flour ( I added about 2 tablespoons), freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well and check the taste. Adjust the salt and spices, if required.
Take small amounts of the mix into your hand and make them into round balls of falafel. If your mixture is too liquified and you’re not able to form the required shape, then try adding some flour to make it thick. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the top of the falafel balls. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and deep fry the falafel on each side until it turns golden brown. Make sure not to fry over high heat otherwise, the falafel will turn brown on the outside but remain uncooked on the inside. Place them on a paper towel to drain the excess oil. If you want to shallow fry it, then make them into a shape of flat patties and cook them in less oil. Serve it hot with the tahini sauce to enjoy the authentic taste of falafel.
Click here to see the other recipes of appetizers on my blog!
Tahini Sauce:
To make tahini sauce we need sesame seeds, few cloves of garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. Put all the ingredients in a blender and grind them into a fine paste. Add water according to the desired consistency. To use it as a dressing for falafel wrap leave it a bit thick. To have it as a dip for falafel, add more water and make it into a thin sauce. Keep it in the refrigerator and remove it just before serving.
Falafel wrap:
Today I used the falafel in three different ways. As my younger daughter wanted to have it as a filling meal I prepared it as a falafel wrap by placing the falafel fritters on a flat bread/roti (as I didn’t have pita bread at home) and put some tahini paste (thick) on it and topped it with some sliced tomatoes, onion and green leaves. I wrapped it and cut it into two halves to make it easy for her to eat.
Falafel salad:
While my younger one wanted it as a wrap, my elder daughter, who is calorie-conscious, wanted to have it as a light meal. So, I prepared this refreshing salad for her. It is a combination of chopped green leaves (kale, lettuce, rocket leaves, baby spinach, etc., ), cherry tomatoes, cucumber, onions and chunks of falafel. I added some salt, black pepper powder, olive oil and lemon juice to it. As for the dressing, I used the tahini sauce and mixed it well. The healthy and tasty salad is ready in minutes!
Well, my husband and I wanted to eat it as a scrumptious snack with the tasty tahini dip. The crispy outer crust which yields to a spicy and herby filling inside is just a treat to our taste buds. Try this healthy and nutritious recipe to enjoy the unique flavors of the middle east cuisine. Bon appetite! 😀
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