Cooking with Kurt: Falafels

Recipes — By on April 21, 2010 8:52 pm

I LOVE FALAFELS! Vegetarian, full of protein and fiber and bursting with flavor.

  • 3 cans of chickpeas, picked through, rinsed and dried
  • 3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 3 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
  • 9 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves coarsely chopped
  • 8 handful fresh cilantro leaves coarsely chopped
  • 6 tablespoon fresh mint leaves coarsely chopped
  • 6 tablespoon Panko bread crumbs
  • 6 tablespoon whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoon tumeric
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

Put the dried chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15-20 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop.) Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don’t stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

I served these with pita pockets, shredded Romaine lettuce, tomatoes and my yogurt sauce:

  • 1 cup non-fat greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup diced cucumber
  • 3 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
  • 1/2 shallot finely diced
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • Freshly ground salt/pepper

Mix well and use liberally! Enjoy!

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