Felafels

[Clingy]

As a vege this is one of my favourite recipes. We have these about once a fortnight.

Soak 6oz of dried chick peas overnight. Do not use tinned or cooked chick peas.

Put one small onion and two cloves of garlic in your food processor and chop finely. Add the soaked chick peas and...

1 tsp of bicarb
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground coriander
1 tsp of ground roasted cumin
a sprinkling of cayenne.
1 tbs of Lemon Juice

Process until you have the consistency of fine breadcrumbs. The mixture should be moist, but not wet.

The mixture is very crumbly and will disintergrate very easily. Heat an inch of oil in a deep fry pan or wok. Form the mixture into table tennis size balls (but flatter) and IMMEDIATELY place in the hot oil. DO NOT TOUCH THEM for a minute even if you put them in the wrong place. Form each ball/pattie and place in the oil. Avoid the temptation to form them all at once and then fry. Over the years I have found no better way to do this than have the mixture on the stove next to the fry pan, Form the patties with one hand, then place them carefully of a spatula and then into the oil. Do 4 or 5 and wash your hands and fry them. Then do 4 or 5 more.

Cook for 2 mins and then carefully turn them over. and cook for another minute or two. I cook about 4/5 at a time. The mixture should make about 18 patties. They should be a mid brown in colour hard on the outside and soft in the middle.

However you serve them they should always be accompanied with a tahini sauce. Add two heaped tbs of Tahini to a bowl and slowly add 1 tbs on Lemon Juice and 1 tbs of light soy while stirring. The mixture will get quite thick and sticky. Then slowly add cold water whilst stirrring until you have a thick pouring consitency.

I like to serve felafels cut into two, in pitta pockets with a fresh coleslaw or crisp lettuce plus chopped tomato and the tahini sauce dribbled over them. Dont forget the kitchen roll to wipe you face clean when eating them !!!!