Rice Recipe: Falafel Patties with Rice

Recipe Category: Appetizers & Snacks

Cooking Instructions

Cooking Instructions:

In large bowl, pour enough cold water over chickpeas to cover by 2 inches (5 cm); let stand for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain well.

In food processor, coarsely chop chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, salt, baking powder, paprika and cayenne, stopping to scrape down sides once or twice. Add flour until blended, about 5 seconds. Add rice, pulsing just until incorporated with some grains remaining. Let stand for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Lemon Tahini Sauce: In small bowl, whisk tahini with lemon juice until smooth. Whisk in enough water to make pourable sauce.

Pour enough oil in heavy-bottomed skillet to come 1/4 inch (5 mm) up side of pan; heat over medium heat. Shape mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls into balls; flatten to 1/2 –inch (1 cm) thickness. In batches, fry falafel patties, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Transfer to baking tray and keep warm in 200°F (100°C) oven while cooking remaining patties.

Cut each pita in half; open to form pocket. Stuff each with 3 falafel patties, plus some of the tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with lemon tahini sauce; sprinkle with red onion, if using.

SOURCE: USA Rice

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas 250 mL
1 small onion, diced 1
2 cloves garlic, minced 2
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 60 mL
1 tbsp lemon juice 15 mL
2 tsp ground cumin and ground coriander 10 mL
1 1/2 tsp each salt, baking powder and paprika 7 mL
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1 mL
1/3 cup chickpea (gram) flour or all-purpose flour 75 mL
1 cup cooked and cooled U.S. brown rice 250 mL
1/2 cup (approx) vegetable oil (approx) 125 mL (approx)
5 pita breads 5
2 or 3 tomatoes, thinly sliced 2 or 3
half cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced half
1/3 cup finely diced red onion (optional) 75 mL

Lemon Tahini Sauce:
1/2 cup tahini 125 mL
6 tbsp lemon juice 90 mL
6 tbsp water 90 mL
1/4 tsp each salt, freshly ground pepper and ground cumin 1 mL

Nutritional Value

Makes: 30 pieces (10 servings)

PER SERVING (1/2 pita serving with falafel, garnish and sauce): 305 calories, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 384 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrates, 7 g fibre, 10 g protein. % RDI: 11% calcium, 26% iron, 2% vitamin A, 22% vitamin C.

SOURCE: USA Rice

Servings: 10