Meatless miracles from the Middle East

Vegetarian food often scares many carnivores away.  While some of us steak-eaters enjoy a nice block of tofu or tempe from time to time, these same veggie proteins give the impression of tastelessness to so many.  And their fears are well founded.  So many restaurants treat vegetarian food with the same blandness that they expect when they eat it.  But just because plain tofu and raw veggies may not appeal to our taste buds doesn't mean that there isn't a spice that can't, well, spice things up!

That's where falafel comes in.  This Middle Eastern veggie patty of sorts is not nearly as healthy as tofu, but with with cumin and coriander as its spice base, it's definitely more flavorful!  Serve it in a wrap with baba ganoush or tahini sauce and you've got a lunch that is delicious and filling all while being 100 percent meat free!  

In Europe, falafel are sold in nearly every market and at countless street vendors.  Yet, here in America, finding a falafel plate is still pretty rare, as they only seem to exist in special vegetarian or Middle Eastern restaurants.  Well, just in case you were craving that crispy and smooth spiced goodness (or just dying to try it for the first time), the Giddy Gourmands have you covered!

Baked Falafel

by Sean (modified by Chef E)

Makes 10 patties

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup fresh parsley

3 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 egg

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

dash of ground pepper

dash of thyme

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven at 400°F.  In a large bowl, mash chickpeas.  (Note:  Do not blend chickpeas, as the consistency will be too thin.)  In a blender, mix onions, parsley and garlic until smooth.  Stir into chickpea mixture.  In a medium bowl, combine egg, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne and baking powder and whisk well.  Stir into chickpea mixture along with olive oil.  Bit by bit, add breadcrumbs until mixture is not sticky.  Form into 10 patties.  

Place each patty on a well greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Turn over the patties, regrease and bake for another 10 minutes.  Then broil the falafel for 2 minutes on each side.  Serve alone or in flatbread with chopped tomatoes and tzatziki or tahini.  

Side Dishes

Although falafel can easily be eaten as a solo dish, sauces and dips are always a great way to experience the great mix of flavors that the spices can offer.  And despite its Greek origin, tzatziki is a wonderful fresh sauce to dip your new vegetarian delights (or just some crudités) into.  Also, did we mention that its  fat free yet completely creamy?  Yeah.  We love it too.

Tzatziki Cucumber Dip

by Chef E

Ingredients:

1 (17.6 oz) container of 0% fat Fage Greek yogurt

1 to 1 1/2 tsp garlic, grated

1/2 cup cucumber, grated and strained

1 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Grate cucumber and strain in a paper towel or cheesecloth.  In a medium bowl, combine ingredients.  Mix well.  (Note: Adjust garlic depending on your tastes, but too much raw garlic has a tendency to taste a bit spicy.)  Keep refrigerated.

Serve cold with sticks of raw cucumber, carrots, snap peas, blanched broccolini, zucchini or yellow squash.  Use it to decorate a variety of dishes!

Bon Appétit!

Vegetarian food doesn't have to be synonymous with "bland."  In fact, it hasn't been that way for a while now.  Thanks to foods from the East and places in between, diners who have given up meat (or even those who still enjoy a burger or two) can enjoy food that is full of spice, robustness and fiber!  Try these dishes with a nice sparkling wine, some limeade or whatever drink reminds you of a fresh summer day and you're set to enjoy a glorious, meatless meal.  

Posted in: chickpeas,cucumber,falafel,vegetables,vegetarian,yogurt