Gluten Free Falafel Bowl

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This weeks Recipe of The Week comes to us from Janine Whitling of Janine’s Gluten Free Kitchen. Janine is a fabulous chef specialising in gluten free recipes. Her falafel bowl is absolutely delicious and comes highly recommended. Enjoy.

Note: this recipe features fava beans, which are the traditional legume used in Egypt to make falafel. However, you can substitute the fava beans for chickpeas if you prefer or are unable to find fava beans in your location.

Serving Size: Makes close to 50 small falafels

Ingredients:

450g dried large split Fava beans (or dried chickpeas)

1 leek

5 spring onions

1 large bunch of parsley

1 large bunch of coriander

6 large cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons of bicarb soda

2 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 tablespoon golden flaxseed meal

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)

Vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Soak the dried fava beans overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in a large bowl filled with water. We recommend you change the water 2 or 3 times during the soaking process to eliminate all the ‘gassing’ effects of the beans. Drain the beans and mix in a food processor until smooth.
2. Transfer the soaked beans to your food processor. Add the garlic and pulse until you obtain a gritty paste. Remove from the food processor and add to a large mixing bowl.
3. In the food processor, add the parsley, coriander, leek and spring onions and blend until you have a fine paste. Then add all the remaining ingredients except the olive oil and blend until the spices are well incorporated.
4. Tip the green paste into the bean paste and mix well with your hands or with a strong wooden spoon. If you mix appears runny or watery, add more flaxseed meal a teaspoon at a time until firm enough to form balls. You should wait 5 minutes between each addition to give the flaxseed time to absorb the moisture.
5. Heat a large pan with vegetable oil and bring to about 180’C.
6. If you have a handheld falafel maker, use to form your balls. If not, make small balls about the size of golf balls and gently flatten a little for flat edges.
7. Gently place in the hot oil but don’t overfill the pan as you will need some breathing space between each falafel.
8. Fry until a very deep golden brown making sure to flip the falafel as they cook so that both sides colour and cook (this should take between 5 and 10 minutes). Drain excess oil on absorbent paper towels.
9. Best eaten immediately.
10. To make the falafel bowl, combine a large spoon-full of you favourite accompaniments to a bowl before adding 5 or 6 falafels. Suggestions include sautéed green beans with garlic and flaked almonds, an assortment of pickles, marinated olives, shredded lettuce, cherry tomato halves, baked pumpkin or sweet potato, tabouli, diced cucumber, tahini sauce, hommous or baba ghanoush…etc etc.
11. Most of all, enjoy!

NOTE: The falafels can be prepared and then frozen prior to cooking. So you can make the batch, cook half and freeze half for a later date.

Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegetarian | Vegan 

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