Sprouted Chickpea Falafel

Prep Time:

Overnight to 1 to 3 days sprouting chickpeas , 20 minutes prep, 2 hours resting

Cook Time:

16-18 Minutes

Serves:

4

This is well worth the effort to make this easy dish, but takes preplanning.

When I was a kibbutznik we go into town on a Thursday evening for a drink with the other volunteers. The highlight of the night was going for a falafel with all the wonderful condiments. I developed this recipe whilst studying at the College of Naturopathic Medicine, as sprouting removes the anti nutrients making them more digestible and increases absorption of other vitamins. It was on the Tree Bistro’s menu and is a vegan friendly dish. You can soak chickpeas overnight if your in a hurry.

Ingredients

Sprouting The Chickpeas – Makes 24 falafels

500g dried organic chickpeas soaked in filtered water overnight in a sprouting jar
Day 1 Rinse off in the morning and evening , with filtered water, invert the jar and store in dark cupboard
Day 2/ 3 repeat day 1
Day 3 you should have tails 1 to 2 cm this is in the summer , it may take an extra day in the winter

Ingredients

Sprouted chickpeas rinsed and strained
(keep 200g for making humus)
1 x medium red onion peeled and roughly chopped
4 x cloves garlic peeled
1 x lemon juiced and zested
15g each of parsley, mint and coriander, washed and dried
1 x tbs paprika powder
1 x tbs cumin powder
1 x tbs coriander powder
2 x tbs chickpea flour
2 x tbs olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper

Method

1 Put all the ingredients through the coarse blade of a mincer or in food processor
2 Refrigerate for a couple of hours this lets the mixture firm up, meanwhile you can make
your salads and breads
3 Preheat and oven to 180c fan / 200c
4 Line a baking tray with parchment paper brush with oil
5 I use a falafel scoop to get them into shape or use a small ice cream scoop
6 Cook until golden brown for 8 minutes on one side, turn over and cook for a further 8 / 10 the other side

Serve in warm pita / or Moroccan bread. With beetroot humus, chilli sauce and garlic sauce see “Salads and Sides” section. Plus pickles, fried aubergine, Levantine salad an any thing that tickles your fancy !