I really enjoyed tonight's dinner - it was such a no-brainer to cook, which was a relief to discover, as I'd never attempted falafels before. Having now made them, I have no idea why not - they were as simple as can be, and all the chopping of the wrap filling can be done as the falafels are cooking.The only thing you should be aware of: make sure your non-stick fry pan truly is non-stick. I have no idea why I've done to one of mine, but it seems to have lost it's magic non-stickability, and there may have been a tantrum or two a few weekends ago when I tried to make fritters and it wouldn't play ball. I imagine having falafels stuck to the pan would have really set me going, so I used my trusty mini-saucepan that has never let me down. It did the trick nicely, too: cooking 6 at a time, and ensuring that I used much less oil.
Falafels with the works!
1 packet falafel mix
vegetable oil, to fry in
2 or 3 tomatoes, sliced
100 grams tasty cheese, grated
2 handfuls salad leaves, washed and dried well
1 piece large pita bread per person
tzaztiki, to serve
sweet chilli sauce, to serve
1 - Mix up the falafels according to the packet instructions.
2 - Fill a pan with a couple of centimetres of oil. Heat well, then fry the falafels, several at a time, for a minute or two on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on absorbant paper towel (or recycle brown paper bags like me!)
3 - Pile the falafel balls onto a platter, and serve with the bread, tomatoes, cheese, salad leaves, tzaztiki and chilli sauce, letting everyone build their own.
If you like falafel from a mix, try using this recipe to make it from scratch. It's delicious and phenomenally better than even the best mix. You'll never go back.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.npr.org/programs/watc/recipes/nycfalafel.html
A few notes:
- I like garlic (a lot) but usually cut the garlic called for by about half.
- I'm not a huge fan of cilantro, so I usually use flat leaf parsley instead.
- The uncooked falafel freezes beautifully. Line a baking sheet with parchment and, using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop, make small balls of the chickpea mixture and place on the sheet. Pop in the freezer for a few hours and then transfer the frozen balls into a ziplock bag or other container.
Sarah,
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Thanks for the tip :-)
Hi Jorth, I made these for dinner tonight. They were good and, very importantly for me, quick to make after work. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteFelafel mix? You've got to be joking... Kudos to Sarah for the pointer but seriously... you can't claim to have made felafel unless _you've_ soaked the bulgur wheat.
ReplyDelete