This Middle Eastern dish tastes fantastic with the addition of essential oils! Falafel is normally deep fried, but you can also pan fry it or even bake it as a healthier alternative. Falafel can be eaten plain, with Lemon Tahini Sauce (see recipe below), on a salad, or in a pita with tomatoes and cucumbers.
Falafel with Essential Oils
Ingredients:
- 2–3 cloves garlic
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (8–10 g) fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup (20 g) fresh parsley
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp. (3 g) kosher salt
- 3 drops lemon essential oil
- 2 drops cumin essential oil
- 2 drops coriander essential oil
- 1 drop black pepper essential oil
- 2 cans (455 g each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup [200 g] dried chickpeas soaked overnight in 3 cups [720 ml] of water)
- 2 tsp. (9 g) baking powder
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, if needed
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C), and grease a cookie sheet.
- Place garlic, onion, cilantro, parsley, cayenne pepper, salt, and essential oils in a food processor. Pulse until the leaves seem to blended fairly well. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl.
- Place about 1/3 of the chickpeas in the food processor, and pulse a few times until roughly minced. Dump the beans into the mixing bowl, and repeat with the other 2/3 (1/3 at a time) until all the chickpeas have been “minced.”
- Add baking powder to the mixing bowl, and stir everything together until well combined. You should be able to form small patties that hold together; if your mixture needs a little help, add some flour, a little bit at a time, just until your patties can hold together.
- Form small patties about 2″ (5 cm) in diameter, and place on greased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, flipping patties over about halfway through.
- Serve immediately with Lemon Tahini Sauce.
If you are in a hurry, you can also pan fry the falafel patties. Just heat some oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add the patties. Let cook for 4–5 minutes (or until brown); then flip patties over, and cook for another 4–5 minutes (or until brown). Remove from pan, and place on a paper towel–lined plate to cool.
Lemon Tahini Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cup (310 g) plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
- 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1–2 drops lemon essential oil
Instructions:
- Stir all ingredients together until well combined.
- Serve with warm falafel—either alone, over a salad, or in a pita with tomatoes and cucumbers.