Image from sxc.hu

Mmmmmm falafel.  There are few things tastier than those little deep-fried balls of crunchiness, and the flavours of the salads and sauces that they come with are pretty special as well.  Our reader Becky has helpfully given us a recipe for falafel that avoids deep-frying, and makes it a healthier choice.  It’s also an easy and quick recipe as you can feck everything in the blender.

Ingredients:

• 1 400g tin of chickpeas- rinsed
• 1 small onion roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• half lemon juiced – lime also works
• 1tsp each of cumin and coriander powder
• 1 chilli chopped, or 1 tsp of chilli flakes (adjust to your own heat preferences)
• 1 tsp harrissa paste – can be left out but so lovely if you can find it. I usually get it in Tesco
• Small bunch of chopped fresh coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional – handful of toasted sunflower seeds

Method

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and blitz with a hand blender or food processor until fairly smooth.  If you’re using sunflower seeds leave half un-blitzed and stir in at the end for texture.
2. Shape into patties (the mixture should make 6-8), lightly oil and cook on a  griddle pan or frying pan for a few minutes each side. They also cook nicely in the oven but will be a little drier.
3. Serve in a pitta or a wrap, with salad and yoghurt dressing and a little harrissa paste if you have it. YUM!

Thanks so much Becky! These sound fantastic and I’m going to try them as soon as I’ve soaked me chickpeas.

You could also add finely chopped red onion, fresh coriander and hummus to the pitta, or serve the falafel as part of a mezze dinner. Harissa paste is usually available in Halal shops; I got a handy tube for only a euro recently, in the Mediterranean Food Market on Thomas St.

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