Falafel is a middle eastern delicacy that makes for a great appetizer when paired with dips like Hummus. I loved eating falafel at restaurants wrapped in Pita bread or in salads since it was considered a relatively healthy meal due to its main ingredient being chickpeas which are high in protein.
Why are falafels popular with vegetarians and vegans? – they are not only appetising but also a rich source of protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. Baking instead of frying them lowers the fat content considerably.
But the weightwatchers and health freaks around me didn’t like the deep-fried aspect of it. Since I have a habit of trying to make dishes healthy without making my taste buds suffer, I decided to step in and recreate deep-fried falafels without the (unhealthy) frying. Switch the cups with a few spoons of oil and the kadai with a paniyaram pan and lo and behold, you can easily make tasty and crunchy falafels with no room for poor health! Even my family is now a huge fan of this healthier version and falafel with hummus is now a frequent appetizer at home.
- Times
- Description
- Image
- Ingredients
- Method
- Notes
- Nutrition
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Ingredients
- 2 cups chickpeas - raw or cooked?
- 2 medium size onion
- 1 cup coriander
- 1 cup parsley (optional)
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 green chilies
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1tsp cumin powder
- 1tsp coriander powder
- 3-4 tsp chickpea powder - what is chickpea powder?
- 3-4 tbsp Olive Oil (for cooking)
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1)
Soak the chickpeas overnight for at least 12 hours.
- 2)
Boil them in water and let it cool.
- 3)
Add all the ingredients except chickpea flour and baking soda to a food processor or blender.
- 4)
Run the food processor on pulse mode. Do not blend it completely. The final mixture should be coarse.
- 5)
Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Add chickpea flour and baking soda and combine all the ingredients together.
- 6)
Cover it and let it rest for 30 minutes and after that keep the mixture in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- 7)
Shape your falafel of any shape (round, ovel, flat, balls).
- 8)
Make the falafel in an appa patra/paniyaram pan, air fryer or oven –
Notes
Falafel are best served immediately after cooking as they taste delicious when warm and crispy. They are soft from the inside and crunchy from outside.
You can serve them with hummus or any dip of your own choice.
This recipe is so delicious that you are going to enjoy every bite of it.
Do try it and let me know:)
Falafels are a very dynamic eat. Even if you dont have Pita / Burger Buns / Wraps at your disposal the day you make them, you can just serve them family-style like a big Buddha Bowl! Decorate the plate with some veggies on the side, homemade beetroot hummus (check my recipe on the blog), garlic sauteed amaranth leaves (chaulai saag), cooked beetroot doused with olive oil and lemon and some olived and toasted almonds – and we are ready to enjoy a healthy scrumptious mediterranean meal! Just perfect!
