Forget soggy sandwiches for lunch and try these easy falafels, served with delicious cauliflower tabbouleh, tahini sauce and charred spring onions
Ingredients
- 400g can chickpeas, drained (or 85g dried chickpeas soaked in 500ml cold water overnight, then drained)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ small red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp baking powder (gluten free if you like)
- small bunch parsley, stalks and leaves separated, leaves chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp
- ½ small cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ small bunch mint, leaves chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
For the tahini & spring onions
- 6 spring onions, kept whole, topped and tailed
- handful rocket
- ½ small bunch coriander, stalks and all
- 2 tbsp tahini
Method
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Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip the chickpeas, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, cayenne pepper, red onion, 1 garlic clove, sesame seeds, baking powder, parsley stalks and ½ tbsp water into a food processor. Blitz until everything is combined but not mushy – you want the falafel to have some texture, rather than being like hummus. Season to taste, then roll into 18 even-sized balls. Flatten each ball into a disc shape and put them on the baking sheet (the more surface area the crisper they will become). Brush them with ½ tbsp oil. Bake for 20 mins, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
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Meanwhile, clean out the food processor. Briefly pulse the cauliflower until you have a ‘couscous’ consistency. Mix the cauliflower with the remaining ground spices, ½ tbsp olive oil and seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 10–12 mins, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted. Once cool, mix through the chopped parsley, mint and half the lemon juice. Season to taste.
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Heat the grill to high (this can be done the night before, if you like). Brush the spring onions with 1 tsp oil, season, then grill until soft and charred for around 5 mins, turning halfway.
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Meanwhile, blitz the rocket, coriander, remaining garlic, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water together in a food processor until bright green. Put the tahini in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the herby water until the tahini loosens to a sauce consistency. Season to taste.
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Divide the green tahini and spring onions between the baked falafel and tabbouleh in bowls.