Meat-free Monday: Falafel with yoghurt dressing

Falafel has become a popular vegan food as it is a great source of protein for people who have cut meat out of their diet. It is low in fat and if you serve it with veggies in a pita, it becomes a filling and nourishing meal!

What is falafel

Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas, or fava beans. It is a popular street food or “take away” meal. These fried vegetarian fritters are often served along with hummus and tahini sauce and served in a pita.

You can also try replacing the pita with wraps, or simply eat the falafel balls on their own.

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Falafel With Yoghurt Dressing

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Recipe by Jessica AlbertsCourse: DinnerCuisine: Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

Ingredients – FALAFEL

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and patted dry

• 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

• 1 onion, roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley

• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped mint

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander

• 3 tablespoon all purpose flour

• salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• vegetable oil for frying

• INGREDIENTS – YOGHURT DRESSING

• 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt

• juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill

• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped mint

• salt and pepper to taste

Method – FALAFEL

• In a food processor or blender, combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, parsley, cumin, coriander, and flour and season with salt and pepper. Pulse until mixture is coarse, do not over blend.
• Form mixture into balls, about the size of a golf ball, squeezing to compact. Allow to chill in the refrigerator while the oil heats.
• Heat oil in pot or deep frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the falafel balls and fry until golden. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Season with salt.

  • 

• METHOD – YOGHURT SAUCE
• Whisk the yoghurt, lemon juice, olive oil, fresh herbs together. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve falafels in pita with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and hummus. Drizzle with yoghurt sauce.

Notes

• For a more authentic flavour, you can added roasted aubergine, cabbage and fresh chillies.

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