Falafel with Hummus

Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food. Falafel is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze. Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, where the dish is widely known as Ta'amiya, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. Falafel is also often considered a national dish of Israel. The Egyptian Christians claim to have first made the dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. (Source: Wikipedia)

Falafel

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried chickpeas or grabanzo beans

1/2 cup frozen, fava beans / broad beans, defrosted (If you don’t have fava beans substitute with an additional 1/4th cup dried chickpeas)

1 medium onion, chopped

2-3 flakes garlic, chopped

3 tbsp chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp cumin (jeera) powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp or red chilly powder

½ tsp black pepper powder

1 tsp salt or to taste

3 tbsp Semolina (suji /rava)

½ tsp baking powder

Oil for frying

Method:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight and drain well.
• Wash frozen fava beans and drain well.
• Place both the drained chickpeas and the defrosted fava beans in a food processor. Add the onions, garlic, coriander leaves, parsley, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, black pepper powder and salt. Pulse till it forms a fine coarse dough.
• Add semolina and baking powder. Mix well. Make small round balls, flatten them slightly.
• Heat oil in a skillet, fry 3 or 4 falafel at a time till brown and cooked from inside in medium flame.
• For a healthier version you can even grill falafel.
• Remove and drain on a paper towel. Serve hot with hummus or Moutabal (Brinjal Dip).

Hummus (Chickpea Dip)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tbsp sesame seeds
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic paste
A pinch of black pepper powder and paprika or red chilly powder (optional)
¼ tsp salt or to taste

Method:

• Soak chickpeas overnight. Put them in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover. Pressure cook for 12 minutes or till cooked. Cool drain and set aside.
• Heat a non stick pan. Put sesame seeds and toast, shaking frequently, until fragrant but not brown. Remove from heat and cool.
• Put toasted sesame seeds and ½ table spoon olive oil in a grinder and grind to a fine paste. (can be substitute with Tahini paste, if available)
• Add channas, lemon juice and garlic. Churn again until smooth adding 2 tablespoon olive oil little at a time in between.
• Season with salt, paprika and pepper.
• Put hummus in the centre of a plate and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve.