Falafels

I love me a good falafel. Not sure how authentic this recipe is but it's a world away from the bland, dry dreck served at most kebab outlets. I pan fry them with oil, but you could probably deep fry with this recipe too. I don't have the equipment or the patience for deep frying.

You can probably get all the ingredients in one trip to the local supermarket. Failing that a healthfood or organics place will definitely be able to supply. Canned chickpeas are fine instead of home-cooked as long as they're of decent quality; they should have some body to them - not mushy. Tahini is optional as someone told me it is quite high in fat. I forgot to put it in the last batch and they turned out fine.

The uncooked mix freezes and defrosts perfectly so this is great as a quick and easy weekday meal.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 400g can)
• Huge bunch of fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup bulgar wheat (cous cous works very well as a substitute, or rice if gluten free)
• 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp tumeric
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• juice of one lemon
• 1/4 tsp chili powder or equivalent hot sauce
• 1 tbs tahini (sesame paste)
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• oil for frying

Preparation

Ingredients, all present and correct. Those chickpeas are still warm from the pressure cooker.

Put the bulgar wheat in double it's volume of boiling water and soak for 10 mins. Drain remaining water by pressing with spoon or using a fine sieve.

Garlic. Note proper application of bash-with-knife technique and subsequent lack of finger-stink.

Chickpeas, garlic and a shit tonne of parsley into the food processor, bypass the broken safety latch with an old bamboo skewer and blend until semi smooth - like crunchy peanut butter.

Chop and very lightly fry the onion in a little oil - or just chop it super fine and add raw. I haven't decided which is better to be honest. Either works.

Throw everything into a mixing bowl and combine. I added the chili sauce to the lemon juice before mixing to aid distribution and likewise dumped the spices onto the flour pile.

Should come out a nice mustardy yellow colour with lots of parsley visible. It's OK if it's a bit moist so if it has turned out too dry to hold together, just add a splash of water and mix until the consistency is right.

Put some wholemeal flour and sesame seeds in a saucer. Form patties from the mix and dab in flour.

Fry in a little (or a lot) of oil.

still frying...

And serve.

Usually I have them hot on fresh bread with butter and tomato sauce like the uncultured swine I am. But pita & salad greens are good too. Tabbouleh would be perfect. Also, this dish is begging for a nice set of sauces to accompany, ideally a cool yogurt based one (Tzatziki or Hummus) and some hot sauce.