Tags

, , , , , , ,

A Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas or other pulses formed into balls or fritters and deep-fried, usually eaten with or in pitta bread.The falafel balls are topped with salads,pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces

The dish is usually made with chickpeas in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel and Palestine. This version is the most popular in the West. Falafel is the second most common dish made of chickpeas, after hummus of course. Falafel has always been a mainstay on the menu in the Mediterranean, but it also made its way onto the menu in many other countries. Usually as mentioned falafel are deep fried keeping in mind the growing concerns, have tried to make the oven baked, which consumes less of oil and fat.

Today inspired by the post in the blog of foodbycamilla, have tried make a version of Indian style of Oven Baked Falafel.

DSC_0008

Preparation Time: 30 Mins I Cooking Time: 45 Minutes I Serves: 4 to 5

Ingredients:

  • 350 gram of dried chickpeas.
  • 1 cup of fresh parsley ( cleaned and chopped)
  • 2 Onions
  • 5 to 6 gloves garlic
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 3 tsp dried coriander
  • 2 tsp tahini
  • 5 tsp oil ( more for cooking)
  • 2- 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 large egg ( beaten)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 to 3 tsps of crushed peppercones
  • 2 tsp Chilliflakes

Method:

  • Wash chickpeas thoroughly under running water. Soak them for 8 hours in a large bowl with lot of water. Do not cover the bowl, it will froth and give very different smell.
  • Rinse well and drain them completely to a colander. Then transfer to a blender or a processor and add the chopped onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, crushed pepper cones, chilliflakes and parsley.
  • Process it until you get a coarse texture. No water is added.
  • To this mixture add the flour and the beaten egg, this will help bind the whole mixture. Below have given how the mixture looks like.

DSC_0007Falafel Mixture 

  • Refrigerate this for around 5 to 6 hours,  take small portions and make balls. If using flour, you may flatten.
  • Take flat tray and lay foil or butter paper, oil/grease it very thinly and keep the prepared on the tray. Meanwhile preheat the oven at 160 C degrees.
  • Below have shown how it looks before it goes in for baking.

DSC_0006Falafel Flattened Balls (Before Baking)

  • Bake them in preheated oven for 12 minutes each side. One could brush some olive oil each time we are turning it over.

There’s a nice aroma which spreads in the entire home, that’s best part of cooking. Below have given the image when falafel are baked both sides duly.

DSC_0012 Falafel after removing form the oven

The one which you see its missing is, because I had one for tasting……..:-)….falafel can be had with tahini sauce or humus or put into wrap.

In the evening made a wrap for my family. Take two or one tortillas as per the size you get spread lettuce leaves and humus on that and generously sprinkle pepper powder and salt and keep the falafel and wrap and grill it for a couple of seconds.

DSC_0015

Falafel Wrap with Humus.

Enjoy Falafel……………!!!!!! will put the humus recipe tommorow.