Falafal on Flat Bread with Creamy Cilantro Sauce (Submitted by Dennis Santo Tomas) Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. Falafel is also often considered a national dish of Israel. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. The hearty fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food.
INGREDIENTS: Creamy Cilantro Dressing 1/2 c. mayonnaise (or Vegannaise) 1/2 c. sour cream 1/2 of a bunch of cilantro, finely chopped juice from half a lime 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground white pepper Combine all ingredients in a jar or serving dish and refrigerate while you make the falafel. Spoon generously onto your falafel sandwich =)
Falafel Balls (Yield: two dozen) 2 cans chickpeas, drained 1/2 c. brown rice flour 1 Tbsp. minced garlic 1 Tbsp. cumin 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes 1/4 of a bunch of cilantro 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. black pepper flour for coating
DIRECTIONS: 1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the last bit of flour in a food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. The mixture will not be entirely smooth, but it should be well processed. 2. Pour some rice flour out onto a plate. Use a spoon to scoop up a bit of the puree and roll it into a ball in the palm of your hands. Roll the ball through the flour so that the outside is coated. Repeat until you run out of puree. 3. Pour one to two tablespoons of oil into a skillet and place over medium heat. Place the falafel balls into the skillet. Don’t overcrowd them because you’re going to need enough room to roll them around. Brown all sides of the balls and then remove to a baking sheet. Repeat until all are done. 4. Place the balls into a 350 degree oven and cook for 30 minutes. 5. Once the falafal is done, we cut the flat bread into sandwich size pieces. Then we pile on 4 falafel balls, some lettuce, tomato, and sliced onion (though broccoli slaw is on the one in the picture) and lots of Creamy Cilantro Dressing. Yummy!