I am not a beetroot lover, but I have always wanted to use this in a dish. The opportunity came in a unique way. We had been introduced to the Falafel during our time in the Middle East and I had planned to make some at home. Somehow, some beetroot landed up in the grocery bag. The store has interchanged it with some other vegetable. I didn’t want to return it, and it stayed in the refrigerator for a few days. As I thought of how to use the beetroot, the idea of making a Falafel out of it came to me. Beetroot while not being the tastiest vegetable around, is a Superfood. One of the most important things to remember is that Falafel cannot be made with canned or cooked chick peas. So be sure to use fresh chickpeas soaked in water for eighteen to twenty four hours. Once you have made the Falafel mix be sure to chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and preferably overnight. Falafel are typically deep fried but one can also use an air fryer. Needless to say the original and best tasting Falafel are ones which are fried. Falafel are an ideal snack to be served along with other food items. They can also be served as sandwiches in Pita bread pockets or in brunch boards along with fresh vegetables such as lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olives, cheese and dips. The Falafel are popular both with family and while entertaining guests. They are convenient to prepare. Additionally, these are Vegan and Gluten free. So go ahead and help yourself to a healthy treat.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups Chickpeas
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1 medium size Beetroot
- 4–5 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small Onion finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh Coriander, roughly chopped
- ½ cup Parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or Kashmiri Red Chili powder)
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Sumac (Optional)
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- Oil for frying
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl soak the chickpeas along with the baking soda overnight for at least 18 hours, till they are triple in size. Add enough water.
- Once your chickpeas have been soaked, rinse them and remove the excess water and pat dry. Add them to a food processor or grinder jar and blend for a couple of seconds only.
- Next add peeled and shredded beetroot to the food processor or grinder jar along with the rest of the ingredients, that is, fresh parsley, coriander, onion, garlic, cumin and coriander powder, black pepper and salt.
- Combine and blend well until you have the right consistency for the falafel. You will need to blend all the ingredients until you have a well-combined mixture. The mixture doesn’t need to be soft and pulpy as the falafel balls will be too dense then. Instead blend enough for the mixture not to fall apart when frying them.
- Transfer the falafel mixture to a covered container and refrigerate it for at least 1-2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Before frying add the baking powder, sesame seeds to the mixture.
- Scoop some of the mixture and using your hands form the mixture into round shapes. Apply some water to your hand before giving your falafel its shape and also to add some extra moisture while shaping them. Make sure the size is not too small or too big. It should be approximately the size of your palm.
- In a pan heat oil. Fry the falafel over medium flame until they are brown and crisp on the outside. Once cooked, place them on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
- Serve falafel along with pita bread, hummus or tahini and vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, olives.
Notes
Do Not use canned or cooked chickpeas for these as they are not dry enough and are too soft.
Do Not forget to freeze the blended mixture before shaping and frying.
These goes well as sandwich in pita bread pockets, you may serve them in a brunch boards along with fresh, vegetables mentioned above, cheese and dips.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
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