Homemade Falafel and Cucumber Sauce
"If you're looking for healthier dinner options, you should try some ethnic foods like homemade falafel and cucumber sauce that are low in fat and high in iron. This is a great recipe for falafel. Everyone that I have made it for loves it. Yum!"
Equipment
- Small Bowl
- Large Bowl
- Skillet
Ingredients
- For Sauce:
- 1 (6 ounces) container plain yoghurt
- 1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried dill weed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise (optional)
- For Falafel:
- 1 (15 ounces) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 dash pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup dry bread crumbs
- Oil for frying
- 2 pita bread, cut in half (optional)
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine yoghurt, cucumber, dill, salt, pepper and mayonnaise and mix well. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until thick and pasty; don't use a blender, as the consistency will be too thin. In a blender, process onion, parsley and garlic until smooth. Stir in mashed chickpeas.
- In a small bowl, combine egg, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and baking powder. Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil. Slowly add bread crumbs until mixture is not sticky, but will hold together; add more or fewer bread crumbs, as needed. Form 8 balls and then flatten into patties.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry patties in hot oil until brown on both sides. Serve two falafels in each pita half topped with chopped tomatoes and cucumber sauce.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!