Foodie Chickie

I know I haven't posted in almost three months but dealing with a very sick family member and a move on top of that leaves a person consumed with those things. And although I currently do not have an oven I am trying to make do with what I have. There is a sandwich recipe I have been wanting to make from scratch with what feels like forever now. You are thinking what kind of sandwich could this be. It is an international one and it is called Falafel. I love a good Falafel sandwich. Falafel balls, stuffed in pita bread with tomatoes, cucumbers with some Tahini sauce. Yum yum yum. When I saw this version I knew I had to try it.



Falafel with Tahini-Lemon Sauce
The Curvy Carrot

Servings: about 24 2-inch falafel balls (4-6 per serving)

Ingredients

For the Falafel:

2 15-ounce canned chick peas

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup minced scallions (aka green onions)

1/4 cup minced cilantro

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Pinch cayenne

1/3 cup flour

Oil for frying

For the Tahini-Lemon Sauce:

3/4 cup sesame tahini

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 small to medium garlic clove, minced

3/4 to 1 and 1/2 cups water, depending on desired thickness

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. For the falafel: Rinse the chickpeas, and drain them well.

2. Combine all the ingredients except flour in a food processor until smooth.

3. Transfer to a large bowl and add the flour. (At this point, you can refrigerate the “batter” for up to 3 days.)

4. In the meantime, add about 3 tablespoons of oil to a heavy skillet over medium heat.

5. Once heated and shimmering, drop rounded tablespoons of the falafel batter into to oil, flattening each slightly with a spatula.

6. Sauté for about 10 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.

7. Place the cooked falafel on a plate line with paper towels, and, if necessary, keep warm in a 300 degree oven until serving time.

8. For the Tahini-Lemon Sauce: Place tahini, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or you can use a blender).

9. Keeping the motor running, slowly drizzle in the water, checking every now and then to monitor the consistency.

10. Transfer to a small bowl or container, and cover tightly. Refrigerate until ready for use.