Falafel

You know, there is nothing better than tasting something and literally getting a fuzzy feeling all over your body because your taste buds have exploded. That’s the feeling middle-eastern food gives me. I truly believe you can gage so much about culture through their cuisine, so if I were to put this test to the Middle East, I would say the culture is so vibrant and lively, bursting with spice and vigor because that is exactly how the food is, and that is exactly what is embodied in this meal.

I adore falafel, but it is quite difficult to get a really good falafel recipe, one that is not gooey because of flour, one that is not grainy because of the chickpeas, one that is, well, perfect. That’s why when I got the latest issue of the gourmet traveler and saw a falafel recipe amongst other beautiful chickpea recipes, I immediately knew it wouldn’t be too before I put my skills to use. And that I did - for three hours actually (well that’s how long it took me to make all these dishes from start to finish, three worthwhile hours let me assure you).

The meal in its entirety :)

When my mum was eating this, I was filled with joy, because her facial expression outline something along the lines of pure ecstasy mixed with cravings for more. I can’t tell you how damn delicious this meal is. For me it was the marriage of all the different spices and flavours; the carrot salad dotted with pine nuts and currants together with the falafel and tzatziki; the dill and spring onions with the potatoes; the pita bread to dip into the juices from the salad. Ooooh, it was all so goood!!!

What makes it even better is how healthy it is. My cheeks instantly rouged up from all the vitamins. Seriously, there is not a single issue with the meal. If you’re having health freaks over, cook it; if you’re having foodies over, cook it; if you’re having mum and dad over, cook it.

You have to start this meal the night before to soak the chickpeas and drain the yoghurt and cucumber.

Falafels

250 gm (1¼ cups) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water, drained

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp hulled tahini

3 tsp cumin

3 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground chili

½ cup (loosely packed) each flat-leaf parsley and coriander

4 spring onions, finely chopped

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Flatbread/pita bread/ naan bread to serve

Make sure you get a really nice pita bread and fry it in a bit of olive oil to serve

Process chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini and spices in a food processor until finely blended. Add herbs and spring onion, season generously with salt and pulse to combine. Shape the chickpea mixture with wet hands into golf-ball sized balls, place on a tray and refrigerate until required.

Tzatziki

2 Lebanese cucumbers, grated and drained overnight in a sieve or in an old tea towel (to do this place cucumber in the centre and lift up sides and tie with an elastic band, then place in a bowel and let it drain)

500 gm Greek-style yoghurt, drained overnight in a sieve in the refrigerator

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp dill finely chopped

Salt to taste

Squeeze any excess juices out of the cucumber and yoghurt. Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Season to taste.

Carrot salad

3 carrots, peeled and grated

2 tbsp roasted pine nuts

1 tbsp currants

¼ tspn paprika

¼ tspn cumin

White wine vinegar

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and dress salad with the vinegar and olive oil. However, be generous with olive oil, it gives it a lovely taste.

Potato salad

1 kg white potatoes, washed, cleaned and peeled

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

½ a purple onion, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper (not spicy), thinly sliced

3 tbsp dill, chopped

3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

Boil potatoes in salted water until a secure is inserted and they feel tender and cooked through. Drain and allow to cool. Cut the potatoes into quarters. Place all the ingredients into a serving bowl and stir to combine. Season with salt to taste.

Just one last look ...