Falafel with Garlic Tahini Sauce

Sometimes, after a long night serving $200 dinners (see my article about tasting menus on page 12) I would stop at the Aladdin Gyro-cery, in Seattle's University District, for a cheap late-night meal. Inside, the aroma of heavily spiced chicken shawarma or beef gyros, are instantly enticing, however, the menu item I've ordered the most is the falafel. Crispy on the outside, fragrant and soft inside, stuffed in fluffy pita bread with a zingy tahini sauce, these vegetarian delights always satisfy. A spiced chickpea or fava bean fritter, falafels are found across the Middle East, with slight variations from region to region. In the recipe below, extra fresh herbs add a distinct flavor, and green interior, reminiscent of Egyptian style falafels.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried chickpeas

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup fresh parsley leaves, stems removed

3/4 cup fresh mint leaves, stems removed

1/2 cup fresh dill, thick stems removed

1 small onion, quartered

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea flour

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

Neutral vegetable oil for frying

Tahini Sauce (recipe below)

Directions:

One day in advance, place dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl. Cover with cold water by at least 3-4 inches. Set on counter, soak overnight for 18 to 24 hours. Check to make sure chickpeas remain covered with water as they expand.

When ready, drain chickpeas well, patting dry with kitchen towel. Add chickpeas, herbs, onion, garlic, and spices to the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade. (If your food processor is small, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl to combine, then process in batches.) Pulse in 30 second increments, scraping sides with spatula, until mix is a minced to a medium coarse texture (couscous sized) and starting to clump together. Transfer mix to bowl, add lemon juice and chickpea flour, mixing thoroughly. Cover tight and refrigerate for at least one hour before frying.

Prepare a Dutch oven, or saucepan with high sides, with 2 to 3 inches of oil and set over medium heat. Use a candy or deep fry thermometer, and heat oil to 350 degrees. While oil is heating pull falafel mix from fridge. Add sesame seeds and baking powder, mix well. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if needed. If mix is too dry and crumbly add a little water, a teaspoon at a time, until mix just holds together. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of mix and roll into balls.

Fry falafel in batches, turning halfway, for about five minutes until deep golden brown. Don't overcrowd pan while frying and adjust heat to maintain 350 degrees. Place cooked falafel on paper towel lined baking sheet to drain and keep in warm oven while frying the rest. Serve as part of a mezze platter with tahini sauce, pita bread, and small plate accompaniments (see notes).

Tahini Sauce:

In a food processor or blender, add ¾ cup tahini paste, ½ cup fresh lime juice (2-3 limes), 2 crushed garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend. Add ¼ cup cold water in a steady stream while blending. Sauce will emulsify and lighten in color. Add a little more water if too thick. Transfer to a bowl and add ½ cup minced parsley leaves. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Notes:

Instead of deep frying you can also try pan frying in a skillet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of oil. Form falafels into patties instead of balls, flipping halfway until falafel are golden brown.

In Egypt falafel are often made with dried fava beans. Try using them instead, or a combination of half chickpeas and half fava beans.

This recipe will serve 6 as an entrée. If you don't use up all the falafel mix, you can freeze uncooked falafel balls, and cook from frozen at a later date.

This past week, I served these falafels with John's homemade pita bread, cucumbers, tomatoes, salad greens, feta cheese, Mama Lil's peppers, pepperoncini and kalamata olives. I sprinkled a little dried sumac on top of the tahini sauce for color. Enjoy!