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Falafel bowl with all the fixings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked, directions in method
- 3 green onions, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, zested
- ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4–6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup vegetable oil
FOR THE BOWL
- ½ cup full-fat yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons tahini
- 1 lemon, juiced (use the lemon that you zested for the falafel)
- 2 cups couscous
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ cucumber, diced
- 3 Roma/plum tomatoes, diced
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 50-75 grams feta cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 pita bread, halved
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- To soak the chickpeas, measure out one cup of dry chickpeas and add them to a large jar or bowl. Cover the chickpeas with at least two inches of water and allow them to soak for 12 to 24 hours. Drain the water when you are ready to make the falafel.
- To make the falafel, place the drained uncooked chickpeas into the bowl of your food processor fitted with a steel blade followed by the green onions, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, chili flakes, cumin, coriander, and salt. Process until finely chopped and well blended. Sprinkle the baking powder and four tablespoons of flour over the chickpea mixture and pulse to combine. Test some of the falafel mixture by picking some up and squeezing it into a small ball with your hands. The mixture should hold together and not really stick to your hands. If the mixture is still too wet, add another tablespoon or two of flour and pulse to combine.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
- After the falafel mixture has chilled, use a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon to scoop the falafel into walnut sized balls. Flatten each into a slightly squashed round, almost like a little burger patty, and place them on a baking sheet.
- Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 250ºF and heat the vegetable oil in a high-sided skillet to 375ºF. Fry the falafel in batches of 5 or 6 until golden brown on each side, about two to three minutes per side. Transfer the cooked falafel back onto the baking sheet and keep them warm in the preheated oven.
- While the falafel keeps warm, begin making the components for your bowls. For the sauce, combine the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and set aside. For the couscous, place the couscous in a heatproof bowl and heat the vegetable broth on the stove until just boiling. When the broth boils, pour it over the couscous, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, give it a stir, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a large dinner plate. Set aside for 7 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, and green onions with the red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and give everything a toss to combine.
- When the couscous is done, fluff it lightly with a fork and dole it out into bowls. Top each bowl with four or five falafel, a good helping of the veg salad, and a drizzle of the sauce. Scatter everything with a little extra parsley and some feta cheese and serve each bowl with half a pita (with some hot sauce, if you’re feeling it!).
