16 Oct A Pass the Salt recipe: Green falafels with freekeh tabouleh salad and a yoghurt and tahini sauce

This recipe was provided by Pass the Salt in our recent FaithfulFood Challenge.

There are loads of Middle Eastern countries that all have their version of a falafel. This is my take on this delicious dish. This recipe calls for masses of fresh herbs – as in handfuls, not simply a few leaves. If you love fresh food packed with herby flavour, you’ll love my crunchy, green falafels.

Ingredients

For the falafels
1 cup of dried chickpeas
1 large handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
1 small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
100 g of pistachios, shelled and chopped
A squeeze of lime juice (or lemon)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
1 tsp (5ml) ground cumin
½ tsp (2.5ml) baking powder
3 tbsp (45ml) whole-wheat flour

Grapeseed oil, for frying

For the freekeh salad
2 cups of cooked freekeh
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1 large handful of fresh dill, finely chopped
1 small handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
150 g pistachios, shelled, coarsely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
A good drizzle of olive oil
100 g pomegranate rubies

For the yoghurt and tahini sauce
1 cup (250 ml) of good quality, Greek yoghurt
½ cup (125ml) tahini
Juice of 1 lime (or half a lemon)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
A half a cup combined of: fresh mint and dill
A good drizzle of olive oil

Method

To make the falafels

1. Soak the chickpeas in hot water for 5 hours or preferably overnight. Drain, rinse and place in a food processor.
2. Blitz to form a paste (the paste should still have some texture to it).
3. Add the dill, coriander, spring onion, pistachios, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, baking powder and flour to the chickpeas and mix well.
4. Form the mixture into small balls.
5. In a small saucepan, slowly bring the oil up to heat. Fry batches of the falafel at a time.
6. Remove from the oil after 2–3 minutes or once golden and drain on absorbent towel.

To make the salad
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Adjust seasoning.

To make the yogurt and tahini sauce
1. Add the yogurt, tahini, lime juice, salt, pepper, mint, dill and olive oil to a food processor.
2. Blitz to form a smooth consistency.

Serve the falafel with the freekeh salad and dollops of the creamy yoghurt and tahini sauce.