Spinach Falafels
From the files of "ugh damn it! Why did I not just prepare these on the weekend like she said" comes the vibrant green spinach falafel.
Serves: 4-6 (makes about 60 falafels, so freeze half ahead of next time)
Prep time: 40 minutes, plus 2 hours or overnight chickpea soaking
Cook time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
baby fist of oregano leaves
200g green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
rice bran oil, for shallow-frying
For the falafel mix
1 1/2 cups (300g) dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight (or minimum 2 hours)
1/2 cup (100g) dried split fava beans, soaked with the chickpeas
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
1 bunch mint, leaves picked
3 good handfuls of baby spinach
1 white onion, finely chopped (reserve about a quarter of this for the salad)
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4 spring onions, green part only, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons sea salt, or to taste
For the salad
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves, reserved
1/4 white onion from the falafel
3-4 dill pickles, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sumac
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional extras
pita and store-bought dips
METHOD
Saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat for 2 minutes, until softened.
Add the oregano, beans and salt and cook for another 3 minutes.
Tip in the tomatoes and cover, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the falafels. Drain the chickpeas and fava beans and tip into the bowl of a food processor.
Add the remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth.
Heat about 1cm of the rice bran oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Scoop out tablespoons of the falafel mixture and add to the oil in batches. Shallow-fry for about 2 minutes each side until golden.
Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs and drain on paper towel while you cook the rest.
For the salad, toss all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Taste and check the seasoning.
Serve while the falafels are hot.
Encourage tearing of bread, swiping of dips, scooping of beans and spoonfuls of salad.
HINTS
Dried chickpeas are the whole game - tinned ones turn to mush and your falafels will surrender in the pan.
Freeze half the uncooked mix (or half the cooked falafels) flat on a tray then bag - future weekend-you already did the work.
Crispy, jam packed with goodness, but safely in the "they will eat it because it's fried" department - and yes, store-bought dips are allowed. This is both an up and down sell depending on your mood.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 4-6 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 10800kJ (2580 calories)
Protein: 95g
Fat: 105g
Saturated fat: 12g
Carbohydrates: 265g
Sugars: 35g
Fibre: 85g
Sodium: 10000mg
Note: covers the full 60-falafel batch including the freezer half. Frying oil is estimated at absorption only; excludes pita and dips.
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.