Falafel with Taratoor Sauce Recipe
Overview
🕒 Cook Time: 5 minutes
🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes
🕒 Total Time: 35 minutes
🍽 Servings: Makes about 24 falafel
Description
Falafel, those crispy, flavorful chickpea fritters, are a culinary delight known across the world. Paired with a tangy Taratoor Sauce, they make for a satisfying and healthy dish. The Taratoor Sauce doubles as an excellent dip for fresh veggies, so whip up a batch for all your dipping needs. Remember, the chickpeas require an overnight soak, so plan ahead for this easy and delicious recipe!
Ingredients
| For the Falafel | |
|---|---|
| 500g dried garbanzo beans | |
| 1 large onion | |
| 2-3 garlic cloves | |
| 2-3 sprigs of parsley | |
| 50g flour | |
| 1/3 tsp salt | |
| 10g black pepper | |
| 3g ground cumin | |
| 10g dried oregano | |
| 10g ground coriander | |
| 5g hot red pepper flakes | |
| 20g bread crumbs | |
| 10g baking powder | |
| 125ml water | |
| Oil for frying | |
| For the Taratoor Sauce | |
| 175ml tahini | |
| 1 garlic clove, crushed | |
| 1 lemon, juiced | |
| 175ml water | |
| Salt, to taste | |
| Handful of parsley |
Instructions
-
Prepare Chickpeas:
- Place chickpeas in a large bowl and cover generously with water.
- Soak overnight (at least 12 hours, up to 24).
- Drain chickpeas before use.
-
Prepare Falafel Mix:
- In a food processor, combine soaked chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and red pepper.
- Pulse until finely ground (or use a meat grinder).
- Add spices (salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, coriander), flour, bread crumbs, and 10g of baking powder.
- Mix well. Add 125ml water gradually, mixing until you get a thick paste-like consistency.
-
Form Falafel:
- In a small dish, mix the remaining baking powder with a little water.
- Moisten your hands with this mixture.
- Shape the chickpea mixture into walnut-sized balls, then flatten slightly into patties.
-
Fry Falafel:
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed pan to medium-high heat.
- Carefully place falafel in the hot oil.
- Fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.
-
Make Taratoor Sauce:
- In a deep bowl, whisk together tahini, crushed garlic, and lemon juice until creamy.
- Gradually add 175ml of water, whisking until smooth.
- Season with salt to taste and stir in chopped parsley.
- Adjust lemon juice for desired tanginess.
-
Serve:
- Serve the hot falafel alongside the Taratoor Sauce for dipping.
- For a traditional falafel sandwich:
- Use a 6-inch Arabic pita bread.
- Place 4-5 falafel along the length of the pita.
- Add slices of fresh tomato, dill pickle, and plenty of parsley and fresh spearmint.
- Drizzle with Taratoor Sauce.
- Roll up the pita into a wrap and enjoy the flavorful explosion!
-
Storage:
- Falafel can be made ahead and frozen.
- To reheat, bake in the oven until heated through and crispy.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving)
- Calories: 710.7
- Fat: 28.7g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 2212.5mg
- Carbohydrates: 91.4g
- Fiber: 25.3g
- Sugar: 13.8g
- Protein: 31.1g
Tips & Tricks
- 🥙 Customize your falafel sandwich with your favorite toppings like hummus, pickled turnips, or hot sauce.
- 🍅 Fresh and ripe tomatoes add a juicy burst of flavor to your falafel wrap.
- 🌿 Don’t skip the fresh herbs! Parsley and spearmint brighten up the dish with their freshness.
- 🔥 Adjust the amount of hot pepper flakes to suit your spice preference.
- 🥄 Drizzle extra Taratoor Sauce over your falafel for an added burst of flavor.
Enjoy the crunchy exterior and tender interior of these homemade falafel, paired perfectly with the creamy and tangy Taratoor Sauce. It’s a Middle Eastern delight that’s sure to become a favorite lunch or snack option in your household! 😋
