VEGGIE FALAFEL:

To prepare falafel first you have to prepare pita bread.

How to make pita bread:

Prep Time : 2 to 3 hours
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Cuisine :Western

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 tablespoon of sugar
1/2 cup of warm water
4 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of salt
1 cup of warm water
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preparation:

First dissolve the yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup of warm water and set aside, covered, for 15 minutes. Dissolve salt in the remaining 1 cup of warm water.

In a large mixing bowl, add flour ,add yeast mixure and salt water. Knead with hands for 10 minutes in the bowl. Add olive oil and continue to knead until all oil is absorbed. Shape into a ball in the bowl, cover, and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in volume, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Punch down the dough and knead for 5 minutes more.


Take pieces of dough slightly larger than an egg and roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of 3/8 to 1/4 inch. (For larger or smaller pita bread pieces, take more or less dough). Prick the bread with a fork in several places.


Fry them on pan like rotis until browned on both sides.


How to make falafel :

Pre & cooking time :1 hr
Servings : 4 or 5
Cuisine :Western

Ingredients:

2 cups dried chickpeas(soak them whole night)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves coarsely chopped
1 handful fresh cilantro, leaves coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
8 home made warm pita bread
Tahini Sauce
Shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, chopped onions


Preparation:

Soak the dried chickpeas for at least 10 hrs. the chickpeas will swell to triple their original size. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

Put the soaked chickpeas in a food processor and pulse to coarsely grind, not until smooth but with no whole chickpeas remaining either. Add the baking powder, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs; process until the mixture is pureed; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate while heating the oil, this should take about 15 minutes.

Pour 3-inches of the oil in a deep fryer or deep heavy pot and heat to 375 degrees F.

Roll the falafel mixture into ping-pong size balls. (Alternatively, use an ice cream scoop.) Carefully slip a few at a time into the hot oil, making sure they don't stick to the bottom. Fry until the chickpea fritters are a crusty dark brown on all sides, turning as needed, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove the falafels with a slotted spoon and drain on a platter lined with paper towels.

Open the pita bread halves to make pockets (don't split all the way) and put 4 fried falafels into each. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and layer with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Serve immediately.

To prepare tahini Sauce we need:

sesame paste - 1/2 cup

(Ingredients –5 cups sesame seeds,1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil.
Fry sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes in a pan on medium heat frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes. Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend until desired consistency. It gives you 4 cups of sesame paste. )

4 or 5 green chillies,1/2 cup plain yogurt or water,1 lemon( juiced),2 garlic cloves chopped,Pinch salt,Pinch paprika.

How to prepare:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender, process on high speed to make a smooth and creamy sauce. Adjust seasoning, to taste, and serve with falafels or as a salad dressing.