This week I present you with my Falafel recipe. One of my absolute favourites! I started making these when I temporarily gave up eating meat a few years back. Chickpeas are a great source of protein and complex carbohydrates for vegetarians.
Falafel balls are great with a crunchy salad but can be eaten alone as a snack. When I make these, I keep a tub of the mixture in the fridge so I can bake a few any time.
Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Vendors sell it on the street corners. In Egypt, McDonald’s sell the McFalafel sandwich! I’m sure they’re as thrilled about that as I am about the McMór.
Falafel balls are usually deep fried which gives the outside a crunchy texture. I love that these are baked so I can just throw them in the oven and get on with other things.
Ingredients:
- coconut or olive oil
- 2 tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 2 tbsp tahini paste
- 4 Tbsps chickpea flour, or any other type of flour
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 organic eggs
How To:
- Add a little bit of coconut oil to a large pan and sauté the onions, garlic and carrot until softened slightly. Stir in the dry spices, then remove from the heat.
- Add the chickpeas, bicarbonate of soda, salt & pepper to a food processor. Pulse until no more whole chickpeas remain. You can also use a potato masher is you don’t have a food processor.
- Add the cooked onions, peppers, garlic and spice mixture, the parsley and eggs. Blend to make a paste. Add flour if the mixture is too liquid a little at a time. I used coconut flour which is quite absorbent.
- Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to allow the mixture to firm up (or leave in the fridge overnight). It is much easier to work with the following day.
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Cover a baking tray with greaseproof paper. Form falafel mixture into small balls and flatten them slightly. Place 2cm or so apart on the baking tray.
- Bake falafel for 20 minutes.
- Serve warm or cold. I love having mine with guacamole. Plenty of healthy fats plus more vegetables. The warm falafel and cool crunchy guacamole go very well together.
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you! Keep in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and ask me any questions you may have.
Emma x
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