Spicy Dukkah Falafels.
I've always wanted to make my own falafels, but until now I never have because I thought it would be just too hard. How very wrong I was.
I'm not sure why I thought things would be hard - there was no good reason for me to think that - but in all seriousness, you literally just require a blender or food processor, some fairly common ingredients (nothing too exotic or 'weird') and a fry pan. SIMPLE.
I'm yet to travel to the Middle East, although I will be in a few short months (HELLO PERPETUAL FALAFELS!!!!) but thus far the best falafels I have ever eaten were to be found in the Coromandel Peninsula of New Zealand. In actual fact, as random as that location may be, it was those falafels that inspired me to make my own, so this recipe owe's its existence to that humble cafe on the beach. For a flavour punch, I decided to make dukkah falafels, which I think sets these apart from other recipes of a similar style. Arguably not wholly 'traditional', the dukkah takes these to the next level and, I'm most happy to report, tastier than those Coromandel falafels (this is clearly an objective opinion...).
*N.B. 'dukkah' refers to a Middle Eastern spice and nut blend that is generally available in most supermarkets. As an Aussie, my recommendation is Table of Plenty, which is available in Woolworths and Coles. You can alternatively make your own (its quite simple, you just need a blender) - I'm sure a quick Google will yield some good results!
Ingredients;
1 425gm can chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
1 cup coriander (or parsley, depending on personal preference)
2 tsp minced garlic
3 spring onions
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried coriander (optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)
1 45gm packet of Table of Plenty dukkah (I used Spicy nut and spice blend)
3 - 5 tbsp flour (any works – I used wholegrain spelt)
Sesame seeds
Sesame seed oil
Method;
1. After rinsing the chickpeas really well, place them in the food processor (blender will also work, though may require a little more persistence in scraping down the sides).
2. Roughly chop the coriander and shallots, and then add to food processor along with the garlic, cumin, paprika and dukkah. Process for a few minutes, or until everything is mixed well and there are no chunks of chickpea.
3. Add the flour 1 tbsp at a time and mix until the mixture is no longer wet and will hold its shape when rolled into a ball (and also won’t stick to your fingers!).
4. Place the mixture in a covered bowl in the fridge for 1 – 2 hours to firm up. Once chilled, roll the mixture into balls that are about the size of a tablespoon. When rolled, lightly press the balls into the sesame seeds on each side (optional, though looks and tastes great when serving). At this stage, lightly press the balls down to form more of a disk shape, rather than a ball.
5. In a large fry pan over medium heat, add a small amount of sesame seed oil. Cook each falafel for a few minutes on each side being careful not to burn. They should turn a golden brown colour and be completely warm the whole way through.
6. Serve in some iceberg lettuce cups with some finely diced tomato, red onion and coriander. Top with tahini and mashed avocado.
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