Falafels With Pine Nuts

Submitted by Charishma_Ramchandani

"These are super wonderful falafels from Anjali Vellody's Food column, Weekend. Enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 96hrs
• Ingredients: 22
• Serves: 15

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup dried fava beans
• 1⁄2 cup chickpeas
• 1⁄2 cup onion, peeled, washed and coarsely chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, washed and finely chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 cup dry roasted pine nuts
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• oil, to deep fry

• To serve

• 4 -5 pita bread (pronounced as "khaboos" in Hindi)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1⁄2 cup tahini sauce
• lettuce leaf, as required

• For tahini sauce

• 1 garlic clove
• 1⁄4 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 1⁄4 cup water
• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
• salt

directions

1. Soak the fava beans in 1 1/2 cups of cold water.
2. Set aside for 48 hours, changing water once in a day.
3. If the weather is hot, change water twice daily.
4. Soak the chickpeas in 1 1/2 cups of cold water for 15 hours.
5. Drain beans.
6. Remove the skins of the fava beans by taking a handful of beans at a time and rubbing both the palms together making the beans rub against one another in order to loosen the skins.
7. Combine the fava beans, chickpeas, chopped onions and garlic in a food processor.
8. Grind till you have a fine paste.
9. Put it in a bowl.
10. Add parsley, cumin, coriander, red chili, salt, pepper, baking soda and pine nuts to the mixture.
11. Mix well and knead it nicely.
12. Keep aside for half an hour.
13. Take a spoonful of the bean paste at a time.
14. Shape into patties about 2 inches in diameter.
15. Arrange the patties in a plate.
16. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
17. Heat sufficient oil in a wok.
18. Once its hot, gently lower the patties and deep-fry them until well-browned.
19. Drain on clean paper towels before serving.
20. To prepare the tahini sauce, put the tahini paste and garlic in a blender.
21. Process for a few seconds.
22. Add lemon juice and water.
23. Process the paste well.
24. Add salt to taste.
25. To serve: Split up a khoubz and place a lettuce leaf in it.
26. Place some tomato slices or sliced onions over the lettuce leaf.
27. Spread some tahini sauce over the onions.
28. Place 2-3 falafels on it.
29. Serve hot.
30. Enjoy!