This is falafel, the middle eastern chickpea fritters, but not your average one. Like my earlier baingan ka bharta, this one too comes with a twist and has been adapted to Indian palate. This is herbed falafel, sounds exotic..eh..with goodness of three different kind of herbs, mint, cilantro and parseley.
This recipe is partly inspired from a cookbook – step-by-step finger food series , but the comparison ends there. If you love Indian food, then you have to love koftas, with vegetables, paneer or meat, koftas are simply my favourite one, dunked in rich sauce, they are just irresistable. Once the idea starts dancing in my mind, I can not wait further, I added almond paste, ginger paste with garam masala, coated with bread crumbs and deep fried them in hot oil. Deep fried ??? eek..so much oil…beleive me I have tried the baked one too, but it lacks all the crispyness….cant help it. see 
So you can either enjoy these herbed falafel wrapped in pita bread with a dash of hummus over it or dunked them as a kofta in rich ginger-almond sauce, falafels wont mind it and you will never regret your decision. If you did not like the twist, blame your chickpeas or spices, but not me.
PrintHerbed Falafel in a Rich Almond Sauce
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Herbed falafel with mint, cilantro, and parsley, deep-fried to crispy perfection and served with a rich ginger-almond sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 1/2 cup bulghur (cooked/steamed) or fava beans
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Bread crumbs, for coating
- Oil, for deep frying
- Salt, to taste
For the almond sauce
- 1/2 cup almond paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 cup water
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas overnight in water, then drain and reserve them.
- Cook the chickpeas in a pressure cooker or slow cook them until they are just tender but not mushy.
- Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, then grind them to a powder.
- In a food processor, combine the cooked chickpeas, bulghur or fava beans, ground cumin and coriander, chopped mint, cilantro, parsley, ginger paste, garam masala, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is coarse and holds together.
- Shape the mixture into small balls or patties, then coat them with bread crumbs.
- Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Fry the falafel until golden brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
- For the almond sauce, combine almond paste, ginger paste, garam masala, and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt to taste.
- Serve the herbed falafel with the almond sauce, or wrap them in pita bread with a dash of hummus.
Notes
For a healthier option, try baking the falafel, though they may not be as crispy. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven to retain crispiness. You can substitute fava beans with more chickpeas if desired.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 grams
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 45 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Protein: 12 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
