Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

If nothing in this blog title makes sense to you, keep reading and expand your horizon (and your tastebuds).

falafel |fəˈläfəl| (also felafel)
noun
a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas or other pulses formed into balls or fritters and deep-fried, usually eaten with or in pita bread.
ORIGIN from colloquial Egyptian Arabic falāfil, plural of Arabic fulful, filfil ‘pepper.’

tzatziki |tsäˈtsēkē| (also tzatziki sauce)
noun
a sauce of Greek origin, made from yogurt, garlic, and cucumbers.
ORIGIN mid 20th cent.: modern Greek, from Turkish cacık.

Prior to last week, I had never eaten a falafel before. Thanks to the goalie in THIS movie:

...I had heard of them, but never experienced them. So I did a little research, checked out a few different recipes, and decided to throw my own together.

Before we go any further, I would just like to let you know that this is our new favorite. Not just C-Dizzle and mine, but also Dei, the not-so-picky-anymore one. We ate every last morsel and I've already made them again.

*Note: If you're going to be eating these, be prepared for garlic & onion breath for a full 24 hours. Make sure everyone you surround yourself with is also going to be eating falafel. Otherwise, you might seem toxic.



Falafel
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp FRESH parsley, chopped
1 tbsp FRESH cilantro, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2-4 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, mash the garbanzo beans with a potato masher or a fork. Getting these as mashed as possible is key! Set aside. In a food processor, mince the onion and garlic cloves till finely minced (for the onion hater in your life!). Add to the mashed garbanzo beans. Add the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, coriander, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Start out with 2 tbsp of flour. If you need more, add it 1 tbsp at a time. Add the salt & pepper, if using.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, get 2 tbsp of olive oil nice and hot. Form the falafel mix into golf ball size balls, slightly flatten, and add to the pan carefully. Cook until a little darker than golden brown; flip and cook on the other side.

Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes

2 6-oz containers PLAIN soy yogurt (meaning unsweetened!)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp FRESH dill, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Assembly

There is no science here! Take a warm flat bread or pita, spread a layer of tzatziki sauce, add lettuce, tomato (the picture is Dei's falafel. We do not consume tomato. Bleck!), whatever else your heart desires, and a little more tzatziki. I served this with tabouli, warm pita slices, and Kale Chips.

Here is the nutritional value for the falafel:



Look at all that protein! These would be great for carbo-loading, too.

And here is the tzatziki sauce:



The serving size here is a bit bigger than what you actually use, so don't be frightened by the calories!

This meal was so light, believe it or not, and very fresh. It's perfect for the upcoming summer weather and I have a feeling I'll be making it a lot! You should, too!

PS: There are still a few days left to enter my Alternative Baking Company Cookie Giveaway! The rules are easy: you just leave comments!

PPS: My mom is going to be here in 24 days! Woo hoo!