After the indulgence of the holiday season, I’m excited to dive into big bowls of green goodness. These falafels are tasty, fresh and very simple to throw together. You’ll have enough falafels for several meals. I’ve suggested my favourite combination of salad ingredients but feel free to tweak to suit what you have on hand or in the garden.
Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS
Falafels
1 x 400-gram can chickpeas, drained
1 x 400-gram can white beans, drained
1 teaspoon curry powder (choose mild or hot to suit your taste)
1 medium carrot, grated and squeezed tightly of liquid
zest of 1 lemon
½ small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
large handful mint, roughly chopped
large handful parsley, roughly chopped
Tahini and Lemon Dressing
¼ cup tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt and ground black pepper
Herby millet
1 cup cooked millet (you can also use quinoa)
handful fresh basil, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
sea salt and ground black pepper
Vegetables
8 x cherry tomatoes, halved
½ ripe avocado, sliced
3-inch piece telegraph cucumber, finely sliced
⅓ cup raw sauerkraut
2 handfuls salad greens
To serve: lemon wedges, sesame seeds, additional fresh herbs
METHOD
Falafel: Preheat oven to 220°C.
Combine all the falafel ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well mixed. The mixture should not be totally smooth. Roll heaped tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on an oven tray lined with baking paper. Use your fingers to very slightly press down on the balls. The falafels will flatten as they cook so it’s important to leave them with good height before placing in the oven.
Brush generously with oil. Bake for 15–18 minutes until golden. Turn balls halfway through cooking. Place carefully on a wire rack to cool while you assemble the other components.
Tahini dressing: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
Herby millet: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
To assemble: Divide the millet and vegetables among 2 bowls. Top with the falafels and drizzle generously with tahini dressing. Garnish with lemon wedges, sesame seeds and additional herbs. Serve immediately.
Cook's tip: Leftover falafels can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Can be frozen for up to 2 months (thaw before reheating). Reheat in a very hot oven for 10 minutes.
Kelly Gibney
Kelly Gibney is a food writer, stylist and photographer based in Auckland. For more delicious wholefood recipe inspiration head over to her blog, bonnie delicious.
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Issue 128
This winter issue of dish is about comfort and connection. Celebrating the best of New Zealand and Australian produce, it brings together recipes from some of our most-loved chefs, including Moroccan Chicken Soup, Mint-glazed Roasted Leg of Lamb, Slow Cooker Braised Red Wine and Miso White Chocolate Cheesecake. Find plenty to carry you through the colder months, from flaky sausage rolls and mushroom pie, to soul-soothing pasta, nostalgic baking, weekend market inspiration and dinner party menus. There’s a spotlight on the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, recipes from Caroline Griffiths’ Midnight Spaghetti, and a deep dive into the difference between Kiwi syrah and Aussie shiraz.