falafel

I think these go really well with sweet potatoes wedges as a side and eaten as is using the yogurt sauce as a dip for a total finger food meal, but I also like to put them in pitta breads with tomato slices and lettuce then drizzle over the yogurt sauce dip. If you don't like pitta breads try you could try putting them in flour torillas which is also very good.

• 2 x 15oz/400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dry as possible
• 2 tsp garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 green (spring) onions, whites roughly chopped & greens sliced very fine
• 2 heaped tsp ground cumin
• 2 heaped tsp chilli powder
• 4 TBSP plain whole wheat (wholemeal) flour (plus a few TBSP if nessisary)
• 1/4 tsp of baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 TBSP olive oil plus a little more for frying
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP of fresh chopped coriander (stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped) or a tsp of dried

1. Put the chickpeas, garlic clove, green onion whites, cumin, chilli, flour, baking powder, egg and olive oil in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste (you can leave it out altogether and just individually season them after cooking) and blend with an emersion blender untill smooth. Use more flour if the paste seems to wet to make into patties, try just a TBSP at a time.
2. Add the fresh coriander and green onion tops then mix them with your hands or with a fork, if you use the food processor or emersion blender on them they'll probably turn green (found that out the hard way).
3. Divide the falafel paste into 8 equal portions and shape into patties approximately 1/2 inch (1.5cm) thick.
4. Heat a skillet over high heat and once hot add a drizzle of olive oil, then swirl it in the pan to coat it and turn the heat down to medium.
5. Add the falafel patties and cook uncovered for 3 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 3 minutes.
6. Drain on a plate covered in kitchen paper towel, serve imediatly.

• You could try making this with a fork if you like your falafel really chunky but I like them smooth so I use an emersion blender.
• The falafel patties need to be cooked for the full 6 minutes and should be nicely golden on both sides, if you find they are browning to fast you'll need to adjust the temprature but if you find it's to late and you'll burn them if you keep them in the fry pan you can always pop them onto a baking sheet and put them in a 350f/180c oven for 10 minutes.