Ahhh chick peas! I think out of that big treasure chest of protein packed goodness or more realistically the disorganised chaos which better describes my rammed cupboards, chick peas have to be one of those store cupboard ingredients that I could not live without.
The just go with everything, literally everything! On top of salads, hummus, chana dhal, stews and socca (chickpea flour) the list is endless.
One of my favourite vehicles to get my chick pea hit is falafels. When I was doing my grocery shop last week and searching for my beloved Cauldron tofu I eyed-up their pre-made falafels. I was tempted to buy those too but I resisted the urge and decided to put my many tins on chick peas at home to good use and make my own.
My first attempt at falafel turned out pretty damn good…
I’m so proud of these babies…
Crisp and golden on the outside and soft and full of chick pea goodness in the middle…
Ingredients (vegan, makes 12 falafels)
400g of cooked chick peas (tinned or dried)
2 tbsp of sesame oil
2 tbsp of lime juice
1 tbsp of fresh basil leaves
1 tsp. of cumin
½ clove of grated garlic
2 tsps. of black sesame seeds
Salt and pepper to season
Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined. Taste the mixture to make sure that you like the balance of the flavours and adjust as necessary.
Take small pieces of the mixture and roll in to balls. Put the uncooked falafel balls in the fridge covered to allow them to firm up.
In a pan heat some oil and cook the falafel until they are golden brown and crisp on the outside and then devour until your heart’s content.
These are probably the best thing that I have made in a while and I cannot believe how incredibly easy they are to make. You can literally make a batch on the morning and then refrigerate them and cook them later or freeze them and store until you need them. They different flavour combinations are also endless. I would love to try a Thai version at some point and maybe a sweet version with PB and cinnamon, how tasty would that be?!
Do you make your own falafel? What are your favourite things to add to falafel?
What are your favourite ways to eat chick peas?
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