A simple twist on falafel. This is one of my favourite specials. Made using whole ingredients with high nutrition and plant based protein it makes for a great lunch, or served with some homemade fries for a larger dinner.
Ingredients:
Falafel:
2 Cups Dry Chickpeas (Soaked overnight)
½ Cup Cashew Nuts
1 Spanish Onion
40g Basil
2 Tablespoons Black Sesame Seeds
2 Whole Red Chilli Peppers
1 Tablespoon Salt
3 Cloves of Garlic
Basil Cashew Sauce:
1 Cup Cashew Nuts (Soaked Overnight)
40g Basil
3 Small Green Chilli Peppers
2 Teaspoons Salt
1 Lime
Additional Ingredients:
Rapeseed Oil
Flatbread/Wraps
Salad of your choice
Method:
For the sauce:
Add the soaked cashew nuts, basil, salt and green chilli peppers into a blender with some water and blitz. (Add more water to slacken if necessary. Add lime juice to taste.
For the Falafel:
After soaking the chickpeas in water overnight, drain the water and then blitz in a food processes until left with a coarse mix. Add to a mixing bowl.
Put the dry cashew nuts in the food processor and pulse until broken up but so that there are still some large pieces and add to the chickpeas.
Slice the onion and add this to the food processor with the basil, garlic and red chilli peppers, and blitz until smooth. Add this mix to the chickpeas and cashew nuts.
Add in the salt and black sesame seeds and thoroughly mix together by hand.
Next heat 5 cm of rapeseed oil in a pan to 175 degrees celsius. Alternatively use a deep fat fryer.
Mold the falafel either using a falafel press, or between two tablespoons so that they are roughly 4cm in diameter.
Carefully drop into the oil and fry for 3 minutes and twenty seconds, or until golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the fryer and allow the excess oil to drain thoroughly before serving.
To serve, add your choice of salad to a toasted flatbread, or wrap. I’ve gone for lettuce, rocket, carrot, cucumber and some red cabbage (I tossed the red cabbage with some lemon juice, dijon mustard and agave syrup as a simple marinade.)
Place the falafel on top and thoroughly dress with the sauce. Garnish with more red chilli and black sesame seeds.
