Try Something Different: Falafel Shawarma

This falafel recipe from Chef Sanjyot Keer has many components that you will enjoy playing around with

This recipe does require prep, especially the soaking of the chickpeas, and chilling time, and has a few steps, but is well worth the effort.

Ingredients

For the falafel

1 cup chickpeas (Kabuli chana), soaked for 7 to 8 hours or overnight

½ cup diced onions

6 to 7 garlic cloves

2 to 3 green chillies

1 cup packed parsley leaves 

½ cup packed fresh coriander  leaves

Few sprigs fresh mint leaves

1/3 cup spring onion greens

1 tbsp jeera (cumin) powder 

1 tbsp dhaniya (coriander) powder

1 tbsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Pinch of black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil 

2 to 3 tbsp flour 

1 to 2 tbsp sesame seeds 

1 tsp baking soda

Oil for frying

Method

1. To prepare the falafels, drain the water from the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a food processor. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except the olive oil, sesame seeds, flour and oil) and blend, using a pulse mode. Make sure to grind in bursts and not continuously. Scrape down the sides of the jar to grind evenly to a coarse mixture. 
3. Add the olive oil gradually while blending. The mixture should not be too coarse nor too pasty. (If you do not have a food processor, use a mixer grinder to blend the mixture in batches; make sure to keep the mixture coarse and not pasty.)

Add the flour and sesame seeds. Mix well and refrigerate for two to three hours.

Make the other components of the recipe in the meantime.

For the tahini: 

2 cups white sesame seeds

¼ to ½ cup olive oil 

Salt to taste

Method

1. To prepare the tahini, set a pan on a medium flame, add the white sesame seeds and toast them until they release their aroma and the colour changes slightly. Make sure not to over toast the seeds. Immediately transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a blending jar and blend while the sesame seeds are warm. (During the blending process, the sesame seeds will leave their own oil as they are warm and it will turn into a thick paste.) 
2. Add the olive oil gradually to make a semi-thick fine paste. (The quantity of olive oil might differ depending on your mixer grinder.) 
3. Once the paste is made, season with salt and blend again. 
4. Cool down the homemade tahini to room temperature and store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for about a month.

For the hummus
1 cup chickpeas (soak for 7 to 8 hours)

Salt to taste

1 to 2 ice cubes

2 to 3 garlic cloves

½ cup homemade tahini 

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. To prepare the hummus, drain the water from the soaked chickpeas and transfer them to a pressure cooker. Add salt to taste and water up to 1 inch above the chickpea surface. Pressure cook the chickpeas for three to four whistles on a medium flame. Let the cooker depressurise naturally to open the lid. Check that the chickpeas are completely cooked. Strain the chickpeas and reserve the water for later use. Set the cooked chickpeas aside to cool down. 
2. Once cool, transfer to a blender jar with one cup of the reserved chickpea water, the ice cubes and garlic cloves, grind to a fine paste, gradually adding an additional 1 to 1.5 cup of the reserved chickpea water while grinding. 
3. Add the tahini, salt to taste, lemon juice and olive oil, and blend the hummus again until smooth in texture. Refrigerate until needed. 

For the  salad

½ cup chopped fresh lettuce

½ cup chopped tomatoes

½ cup chopped onions

½ cup chopped cucumber

1/3 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

2 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Pinch of black pepper

1 tsp olive oil

To prepare the salad, mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate.

To continue with the falafels, after the chilling time, remove the falafel mixture from the refrigerator and add the baking soda and mix well. Dip your fingers into cold water, take a spoonful of the mixture and shape it into a tikki. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. 

Set a wok on a medium flame and heat the oil for frying. Fry the tikkis in hot oil until crisp and golden brown. 

To assemble: You can either make wraps or bowls

For wraps:

1. Pita bread
2. Hummus
3. Fried falafel
4. Salad
5. Garlic sauce
6. Hot sauce

To assemble the wraps, spread a good amount of hummus over the pita bread, place the fried falafels and salad at one end, and drizzle some garlic sauce and hot sauce. Roll and serve immediately.

For bowls:

1. Hummus
2. Fried falafel
3. Salad
4. Garlic sauce
5. Hot sauce
6. Pita bread
7. Olive oil
8. Olives
9. Red chilli powder

To assemble the bowl, place a portion of hummus in a bowl, add salad, some fried falafels, drizzle with garlic sauce and hot sauce, place some pita bread to one side. Drizzle with olive oil, and add olives. Sprinkle red chilli powder over the hummus. Serve immediately.

Recipes and images: Chef Sanjyot Keer

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