Falafels
Why are chickpeas good for you? They help increase satiety, boost digestion, keep blood sugar levels stable, increase protection against metabolic syndrome and heart disease, and more. Chickpeas nutrition is a potent package of protein, vitamins and minerals, which is why they are often included in many healing diets, including the Ayurvedic diet and the Mediterranean diet.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups of dried chickpeas
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 ¼ cup of fresh flat leaf parsley, just the leaves
1 ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin
½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt
PREPARATION Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the dried chickpeas and cook until the become slightly soft. About 10-12 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and allow to cool down. Combine the onion, garlic and parsley in a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up pieces. Add the chickpeas and process until the mixture is a coarse puree. In a large mixing bowl, transfer the mixture and add the baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes and the cumin. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for roughly 60-75 minutes. Over medium high heat, using a nonstick frying pan, heat about 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Wet your hands and scoop out roughly ¼ cup of the mixture and roll into balls. Brown falafel balls in pan. You will need to continue to turn them to ensure proper frying and coloring. About 6-8 minutes total. Continue until all of your falafel balls have been browned. Add more olive oil as needed to the pan.
