Falafel with Tahini Sauce (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
01 -
2 cups of white onion, chopped up.
02 -
6 cloves of garlic.
03 -
A couple of cups of cooked chickpeas, drained well.
04 -
A packed cup of parsley leaves.
05 -
A packed cup of cilantro leaves.
06 -
A teaspoon of salt.
07 -
1/4 teaspoon of chili powder.
08 -
Two teaspoons of cumin.
09 -
2 teaspoons of baking powder.
10 -
Half a cup of flour.
11 -
Canola oil for frying.
12 -
Pita bread to serve alongside.
13 -
1 1/4 cups of plain yogurt, your choice of fat content.
14 -
A quarter cup of tahini paste.
15 -
2 tablespoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
16 -
Salt and pepper for seasoning, as needed.
# Instructions:
01 -
Toss the onion, garlic, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, and baking powder into a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients come together into a slightly chunky mix. Move this mixture into a bowl and stir in the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and let it chill in the fridge for about an hour.
02 -
While your falafel mix cools, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a bowl. Add some salt and pepper to adjust the taste. Cover the bowl and stick it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
03 -
After the mix has had time to chill, use spoons or a small scoop to shape it into small balls (about 3 tablespoons each). Gently press them into flattened patties. If they're too sticky, sprinkle in a bit more flour.
04 -
Heat up a good layer of canola oil in a big sauté pan over medium heat. Let the oil warm up for a couple of minutes. One by one, place the patties in the pan. Cook the first side for around 3 minutes, flip them, and fry the second side until fully cooked. Once they're done, move them to a cooling rack with paper towels underneath and sprinkle a little salt on top. Repeat until everything's done.
05 -
Take a pita bread, cut it in half, and load it up with three to four falafel patties. Pour some of that tahini yogurt sauce over the top and dig in while it's warm.
# Notes:
01 -
You can bake the falafel instead if you'd rather not fry them—check out a guide on crispy baked falafel. If you're not a fan of tahini sauce, a dollop of chilled Greek yogurt works just as well with the hot patties.