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Happy International Falafel Day

Falafel recipe

Today – 12 June – marks International Falafel Day! Deep-fried and composed of chickpeas or fava beans, this Middle Eastern food is often found wrapped up in a pita bread, or served with salad and sauces.  A favorite among meat-eaters and vegetarians alike, the latter of whom will often find it presented as an alternative to meat, falafel is one food that certainly deserves its own day of recognition.

To celebrate your favourite chickpea treat, we are sharing a special, new recipe from Iida van der Byl-Knoefel, author of A Kitchen Fairytale. This falafel recipe, complete with Tahini miso dressing, is brand new, made especially for International Falafel Day. Enjoy!

Falafel recipe

Falafel
2 portions
Ingredients:
  • 1 heaping cup of cooked, drained and patted dry chickpeas
  • 0.3 cup of mixed coriander and parsley leaves
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 teeny tiny onion, chopped (approximately 2 tbsp)
  • 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 3 tbsp oat flour (blend oats on their own for a few seconds to get oat flour)
  • Black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp Himalayan pink salt

Method:

  1. Turn the oven to 200C (400F).
  2. Set aside 2 tbsp of chickpeas.
  3. Place the rest of the ingredients in a food processed and blend until you have a nice, crumbly consistency, about 1 minute.  When done, add the remaining 2 tbsp of chickpeas and blend for another few seconds as it is nice to have some varying textures in there.
  4. Put the mixture in the fridge for an hour to allow it to set.
  5. After an hour, using your hands, make small round balls with the dough, about 2 tbsp each, and pat down on a non-stick ovenproof sheet – or baking paper – in an ovenproof dish.  You will get eight of them.
  6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
  7. Serve in pita bread/your choice of gluten free bread with generous amounts of shredded lettuce, sliced onion, tomato and cucumber and this heavenly dressing drizzled on top:
Tahini/miso dressing 
Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp Tahini
  • 1-2 tsp brown rice miso paste
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 4-5 tbsp of near-boiling water

Method:

  1. Add the tahini, 1 tsp of miso paste and the maple syrup to a mug.
  2. Start stirring in the water, one tablespoon at the time.  Note that the water mustn’t boil completely, in order to retain the wonderful enzymes in the miso paste.
  3. Keep adding water until you have a smooth dressing consistency.  You can add more miso for stronger flavour.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over your falafel creations and enjoy!  This makes a big batch of dressing so you will have plenty for many more days to come.
Falafel recipe
Yum!