Falafel Pockets
In case you didn’t know we are BIG falafel fans here at BOSH! HQ and we’ve just blown the falafel game out of the water. Packed full of all those tasty middle eastern flavours and deep fried to crunchy perfection, these falafel pockets are served with a sumac salad and a silky lemon tahini dressing. Find the recipe below!
Serves
Ingredients
For the Herby Falafel
<item-todo-done>250g dried chickpeas - Or 2 x400g Tinned Chickpeas<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tsp ground cumin<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tsp ground coriander<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp ground cardamom<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ tsp cayenne pepper<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 red onion<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 garlic cloves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 tbsp gram flour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp baking powder<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>45g fresh coriander<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>45g fresh parsley<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tsp salt<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> vegetable oil<item-todo-done>
For the Sumac Salad
<item-todo-done>1 red onion<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>½ cucumber<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 large tomatoes<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp lemon juice<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp olive oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp sumac<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>10g fresh parsley<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt and pepper<item-todo-done>
For the Lemon Tahini Dressing
<item-todo-done>60ml tahini<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>40ml cold water<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tbsp lemon juice<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> flakey salt<item-todo-done>
To Serve
<item-todo-done>4 pieces of pitta bread<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> hummus<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> picked chillis<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Food processor | Baking tray lined with baking paper | Saucepan | Freezer
Soak the chickpeas
- Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water, at least twice their volume
- Set aside and soak overnight
- If you are using tinned chickpeas, skip straight to the next step
Make and shape the falafels
- Drain the water from the chickpeas and rinse very thoroughly
- Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic, then add to a food processor with the chickpeas, salt, pepper, cumin, ground coriander, cardamom and cayenne pepper
- Blitz the mix in a couple of batches until you have a coarse paste, be sure not over process or it will become mushy
- Rip the coriander and parsley leaves from their stems, and add to the food processor along with the gram flour and baking powder, and pulse until just combined
- Adjust seasoning and consistency if needed with more flour- the mixture should be pliable, not too wet and keep its shape when pressed together
- Scoop a heaped tablespoon of mixture out of the food processor
- Roll into small balls, set down on the lined tray and repeat until all the mixture has been rolled
- Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes (or in the fridge for a couple of hours) until firm
Make the salad and lemon tahini dressing
- Finely slice the red onion and cucumber then roughly chop the tomato and parsley | In a small bowl, combine prepped veggies with the juice ½ lemon, olive oil, sumac, parsley, salt and pepper
- Give the salad a good toss
- Add the tahini to a bowl, squeeze in the juice of the lemons, then add the water in batches, whisking well with as much water as necessary to get a smooth single cream consistency
- Season with a big pinch of sea salt
Cook the falafels
- You can cook these falafels a few different ways, but the tastiest is shallow frying in vegetable oil for around 4-5 mins until golden and crispy
- Alternatively, bake them at 190˚C on a well-oiled tray for 25-30 minutes (turning halfway through)
Assemble the pitta pockets
- Toast the pita well, and halve into open pockets for assembly if needed
- Add a good dollop of hummus on one side and spread out evenly with the back of a spoon
- Pack the pita pockets with a good spoonful of the sumac salad, herby falafels, pickled veg and a big drizzle of tahini
- Tuck in and enjoy