Falafel with Tahini Sauce

A couple of years back, if you had asked me about falafels, I would have been clueless. But, thanks to the blogging world, I came to know about them. Though I have read many blogs posts and recipes on falafels I never tried it at home nor did I get a chance to taste them in India. Now, here in Amsterdam, Falafels are a popular street food. And finally I got to have my share of falafels from a local shop here. They are very delicious and a filling meal too.

The Dutch cuisine is influenced by cuisines of many countries and one of them is the Middle Eastern. It is very visible from the popularity of dishes like Falafels and baklava.

Falafels are deep fried chickpea or fava bean balls, served traditionally with Pita Bread and Tahini sauce and pickled vegetables. These can also be enjoyed a snack by skipping the bread.

Makes about 14 falafels

What you'll need

For the falfel

1. Dry Chickpeas (soaked overnight) – 2 cups
2. Onion – ½ of a big one
3. Garlic – 2 cloves
4. Green Chilly – 1
5. Coriander Powder – ½ tsp
6. Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
7. Chopped fresh Coriander – 2 tbsp
8. All purpose flour – 3 tbsp
9. Salt to taste

Method

1. Drain all the water from the soaked Chickpeas. Keep it as dry as possible.
2. Add the chickpeas to the mixer/food processor.
3. Add chopped onion, garlic, green chilly, coriander powder, cumin powder, and grind to a coarse consistency. Don’t make into smooth paste. Grind without adding any water.
4. Transfer to a bowl. Add the salt, coriander leaves and flour.
5. Mix well and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
6. Heat oil for deep frying.
7. Make small balls out of the chickpea mixture. Add one ball to the oil and test, if it stays whole then make balls with the remaining mixture and deep fry 4 to 5 balls at a time until nice and brown. Drain excess oil on a tissue paper. If the ball disintegrates, then add more flour to the mixture and fry.
8. Deep fry in a medium flame, if the oil is too hot, outside with become dark very soon but inside will remain uncooked.
9. Serve these with Pita bread and Tahini Sauce

For the Tahini Sauce

1. White Sesame Seeds – ½ cup
2. Oil – 2 to 3 tbsp
3. Lemon juice – 1 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
4. Roasted Garlic – 1 clove, crushed
5. Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Method
8. Heat a pan, roast the sesame seeds lightly.
9. Cool and grind into a paste, without adding water.
10. Now add the oil little at a time and grind. You can add more oil and make it into pouring consistency.
11. Transfer to a bowl, add salt, lemon juice crushed garlic and about ½ cup water.
12. Mix well adjust consistency and seasoning by adding water, lemon juice and salt.
13. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with falafel.

Note: If serving stuffed in Pita bread, flatten the balls slightly like a patty, so that they can be easily kept inside the bread.