Falafel are like little bites of middle eastern magic. They are also surprisingly filling considering their size (She says after her 10th one).
I have made falafel a lot over the past few months with varying degrees of success. Now I have finally perfected my recipe. Muhahahahahaha.
The reason i haven't really tried making them before is because there is a great little place in Leicester (Where I live) that do them.
Anyhow, usually when I want said treats, i just swing by this little land of scrummy delights and have myself a little wrap (I made that sound way easier then it is). The reality is, that not having a car and having two little ones means that just 'swinging by' isn't always an option so I came up with my own recipe. Hurray!
Here they are in a bowl of goodness. Quinoa (It can actually taste good and it looks more squashed then it actually was), my yummy sweet potato fries, baked carrots, pickled cabbage - what's not to like?
Enough of the falafel talk. So today is mothering sunday. Woo. I don't know that much about mothering sunday to be honest but yesterday my son asked me about it at which point my daughter chimed in, 'It's not mummy day. It's ME day!' She said it like fifty more times, before she fell asleep. So, i'm not holding out for any special treatment. (Not just because my daughter hates the idea of mothers day but also because you know, my kids are like 3 and 4 and my husband just got in from work at 6am - earlier than usual today. Woo).
This is my husband attempting to eat it in a naan that he didn't warm up. Hmm.. He said it was delicious anyway. 🙂 You could also add some Hummus to the mix to make it even more delicious.
Falafel
Ingredients
Falafel
- 400 g tinned chickpeas drained
- 1/4 small onion cubed
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 small bunch coriander
- 1 small bunch parsley
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tbsp gluten free plain flour
- Salt to taste - I used 1/2 tsp
- 1 tbsp oil
Roast Carrots
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into sixths lengthwise depending on the size then into 2 inch lengths
- 1 sprig thyme leaves only
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp oil
Quinoa
- 1/2 cup dried quinoa
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Tahini sauce
- 100 ml Tahini
- 100 ml water
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tbsp lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
Roast Carrots
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Preheat oven to gas mark 6.
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Pop the carrots in a large bowl and drizzle with the oil.
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Add all other ingredients.
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Toss with your hands to coat.
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Spread the carrots over a baking tray in a single layer.
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Bake for 15 minutes, then check.
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Cook for a further 10 minutes on gas mark 4 checking at 5 minutes to make sure they aren't catching.
Falafel
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Heat oven to Gas Mark 4.
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Blend all the ingredients for the falafel.
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Shape the into 1 inch balls and flatten slightly; you should get around 20. If the mixture does not hold together, add a little water.
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Pop into the freezer for 15 minutes.
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Heat the oil in a deep pan over high heat. Very carefully add a few of the falafel to the pan and fry 2 minutes each side.
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Add the falafel to a lined baking tray and bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
Quinoa
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Cook according to packet instructions and add a vegetable stock cube into the water.
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Top with the lemon juice once cooked.
Tahini Sauce
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Blend all the ingredients to make the sauce. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Assemble
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Serve the falafel either in a bowl with sweet potato fries, roast carrots, quinoa, pickled cabbage and salad. Top with tahini sauce and hummus.
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