Quick and Easy Falafel
Falafel for me is a bit like tofu - it's not really the food itself that sparkles, it's what you do with the spices, sauces and various accompaniments that makes it either a complete cracker or a side of meh.
Falafel is quite simply a fried ball of ground chickpeas. When you put it like that, who would, right? But stay with me. There are several ways to make falafel amazing, one of which is the subject of today's post - prepare for an entirely unpaid product plug right here.
Chill Bite Mix is a local product that is essentially chickpea flour combined with spices and chill. It is vegan from what I can tell (although ingredient lists these days can be somewhat fraudulent) and is available at most major supermarkets.
To make the perfect, fuss-free falafel, all you have to do is buy this mix and combine it with equal parts smashed canned chickpeas. That's it! It's not even a recipe, but I've laid it out below for you anyway. As mentioned, the key to a smasher dish is the sides and sauces - above we have a homemade slaw and a sesame-soya sauce.
Another tip to keep falafels healthy: don't deep fry them. If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll know I don't deep fry anything. Like, ever. But you do want the crispy coating on the outside, because slap (soft) falafel is not a vibe. The key is to shallow fry the outsides in olive oil and pop them in the oven for 10 mins afterwards to firm up the inside.
Chill Bite Mix Falafel
Ingredients:
- 1 can chickpeas, drained
- Roughly 1 cup of Chilli Bite Mix
- Olive oil for frying
- Choice of sauces and sides for serving
Instructions:
1. Smash the drained chickpeas in a medium size bowl.
2. Add Chilli Bite Mix - I suggest adding it in 1/4 cups so you can thoroughly combine the mixture before adding more. In this way you prevent it from drying out too much. It should be dry enough to roll into balls but not so much that the balls are crumbly.
3. Shallow fry in olive oil, turning frequently until all sides are crispy. Finish off in the oven for 10 mins if desired (if you're happy with a softer centre you don't need to do this step).