So this is my 100th post. I started this blog a while ago, it sucked until pretty recently, and now I have 100 posts. Thats a lot. Thanks everyone!I got my new camera from my dad (Christmas present) on Wednesday. It's awesome. I'm writing this post as the software is downloading/being installed, let's hope it doesn't take too long because I wanted to write this post while my dinner is cooking. I went to New York for my days off this week, Wed and came home on Friday. I saw my dad, ate a great meal at Barbuto in the West Village, then hung out with my sister, went to the Met (my favorite place), saw some friends play a show at the Knitting Factory, then overslept, bought some books, then came home to my sweet boyfriend cooking me lamb for dinner.
However, before I left for New York, I made falafel. I've never made falafel, I haven't had it since I went gluten-free since everywhere I've been has put flour in it, or fried it with the breaded foods. At work we've been making a lot of wraps with them, and I wanted to make my own. So I went home, looked up some stuff, and dove in. I had a can of chickpeas, and some tahini in the fridge, that was pretty much all I needed. Once I started, I decided I should make some stuff to go with the falafel.
I made Kate's GF Wrap bread, lemon-tahini sauce, spicy cucumber salad, and served it with roasted red peppers and thin sliced cucumbers. It was so good. And cheap, and easy, and awesome.
Falafel (recipe from epicurious.com)
1 can chickpeas
1/2 onion, rough chopped
2 T parsley
1 t salt
1/2-1 t hot sauce (I love chili-garlic sauce)
4 cloves garlic
1 t cumin
1 t baking powder
4-6 T chickpea flour
Process the onion, garlic, parsley and salt in the food processor until pretty fine. Drain the chickpeas, dump them in with the hot sauce and cumin. Process until the chickpeas are pretty finely ground, or to your taste. Some people like chunky chickpeas in their falafel. I don't really. Sprinkle the baking powder and chickpea flour on top, process again just until it comes together. Use more or less chickpea flour if necessary. If you don't have chickpea flour, any flour of your choice would be good I'm sure. Stick the mixture in the fridge for a few hours. Once its totally chilled, roll into little balls and fry two to four minutes on each side until crispy and delicious smelling.
Tahini sauce
1/2 c tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c yogurt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t (or more) garlic oil
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t chili powder
Mix everything together, let sit for a bit to meld flavors. Or serve right away.
Spicy Cucumber Salad
1/2 large cucumber, or more, cut up into small pieces
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
a big splash of your favorite vinegar, I used rice
A big splash of olive or garlic oil
Chili flakes, to taste
A splash of chili oil
Mix everything together, let chill out for a while to let the flavors blend.
However, before I left for New York, I made falafel. I've never made falafel, I haven't had it since I went gluten-free since everywhere I've been has put flour in it, or fried it with the breaded foods. At work we've been making a lot of wraps with them, and I wanted to make my own. So I went home, looked up some stuff, and dove in. I had a can of chickpeas, and some tahini in the fridge, that was pretty much all I needed. Once I started, I decided I should make some stuff to go with the falafel.
I made Kate's GF Wrap bread, lemon-tahini sauce, spicy cucumber salad, and served it with roasted red peppers and thin sliced cucumbers. It was so good. And cheap, and easy, and awesome.
Falafel (recipe from epicurious.com)1 can chickpeas
1/2 onion, rough chopped
2 T parsley
1 t salt
1/2-1 t hot sauce (I love chili-garlic sauce)
4 cloves garlic
1 t cumin
1 t baking powder
4-6 T chickpea flour
Process the onion, garlic, parsley and salt in the food processor until pretty fine. Drain the chickpeas, dump them in with the hot sauce and cumin. Process until the chickpeas are pretty finely ground, or to your taste. Some people like chunky chickpeas in their falafel. I don't really. Sprinkle the baking powder and chickpea flour on top, process again just until it comes together. Use more or less chickpea flour if necessary. If you don't have chickpea flour, any flour of your choice would be good I'm sure. Stick the mixture in the fridge for a few hours. Once its totally chilled, roll into little balls and fry two to four minutes on each side until crispy and delicious smelling.
Tahini sauce
1/2 c tahini
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 c yogurt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 t (or more) garlic oil
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t chili powder
Mix everything together, let sit for a bit to meld flavors. Or serve right away.
Spicy Cucumber Salad
1/2 large cucumber, or more, cut up into small pieces
2 shallots, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
a big splash of your favorite vinegar, I used rice
A big splash of olive or garlic oil
Chili flakes, to taste
A splash of chili oil
Mix everything together, let chill out for a while to let the flavors blend.
Oh my, girl - we could so do lunch together! I LOVE falafel! Thank you ever so much for posting your recipe for these. Have you ever tried to bake them rather than fry them? I have not, but my heart is thinking maybe I should (LOL). I wondered what you thought.
ReplyDelete_kate
That falafel sounds sooooo good. I haven't had falafel in so long; thanks for inspiring me to make some!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 100th post! I've been lurking for a bit and love your recipes.
kate- I am sure they'd be good if they're baked and not fried- let me know if you try. I love things fried because it is so fast and easy (I know I'll regret it later) and these come out good and crispy, but I don't see why they wouldn't do well being baked. I'm totally doing this for my next dinner party because it was so good and fast and can be doubled-tripled-etc for more people.
ReplyDeletelizzie- try it! some things are ridiculously easy and you don't know until you try. this is one of those things. yum. and, thanks!
Congratulations on your 100th post PUMPKIN.
ReplyDeleteI'm soooooo proud of you doing this. The pictures of the falafels are making me hungry already.
Love
Someone who can't eat pumpkin a.k.a. Alex
Um, YUM. This is going on my list of foods to make. I love falafel.
ReplyDeleteThe only can I have in my pantry is chickpeas and I've been going falafel crazy lately. I'm going to make this tomorrow after I buy some tahini!
ReplyDeletep.s. those cookies looked wonderful, I'm sorry I couldn't make it out to eat them with you.
p.p.s This is Lizzy and I stalk you :) This blog is awesome.
Thank you so much for posting such a delicious falafel recipe! I made these tonight and they were delicious. FYI - I tried baking them for anyone who's interested and they turned out great! I sprayed a little olive oil on a baking sheet, placed the falafels down, and then lightly sprayed the tops with a little more olive oil. I baked them at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
ReplyDelete