The humble falafel has got to be one of the best veggie treats around. It cleverly masquerades as a meat dish both in looks and consistency yet it is an entirely veggie invention. A cunning trick if you ask me. Die hard carnivores will disagree with me wholeheartedly and laugh in a derogatory fashion, but I’ll take that any day. Falafels are genius in a green kitchen and a tasty treat when you want non-veggie. Being Swedish I would never knock a good old-fashion meat ball but as I’m an 80/20 kind a person falafels are my go to choice most of the time.
If you don’t want to buy your falafels from the supermarket then here is a fantastic vegan and gluten-free recipe courtesy of the lovely food blog, Minimalistbaker.com. Delicious hot or cold I add them to any salad combination or grain dish I conjure up and it is a hit every time. Here goes:
Better than restaurant falafel (vegan & gluten-free) by Minimalistbaker.com
Serves 4
4 cups stemmed and torn collard greens (one bunch), or swiss chard
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 garlic gloves, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp tahini
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp cumin
sea salt and black pepper to taste
3-4 tbsp oat flour (gluten-free oats, check your health food shop, if none try spelt flour)
Rapeseed oil for cooking
Add all ingredients bar the oil into a food processor and combine. Once well incorporated, transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the oat flour, 1 tbsp at the time, until the mixture is thick enough to handle – about 3 – 4 tbsp. Take this opportunity to taste the mixture in order to get the right balance. Perhaps you need a bit more lemon juice/salt/pepper etc. Only you are the judge.
Heat a large pan over medium to medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp oil at a time. Swirl to coat pan evenly. Add about 4-6 falafels at the time and flip over once they are deep golden brown then do the same on the other side. Serve immediately with hummus and paprika or inside a pita with garlic sauce and hummus. Any left overs will keep in the fridge for several days after. Enjoy x