Sitting here the other day I was thinking of what to make over the weekend. Having just signed up for Ten in 10 for eating healthy (read more vegetarian food), my foodie resolutions hung like a sword over my head. Have to look for more fun vegetarian options to feed the kids, the question was how to make it fun and healthy. I was thinking pita bread and falafel, but the kids were thinking burgers!
Decided to meet half way through, and thought of falafel burgers. Hmmm, tweeted out sweet and affable Beth, a lady whose first love seems to be chickpeas, to ask of she had ever tried making them before. Incidentally, she is my chickpeas 101, and was last reported soaking chickpeas for Mowie and Bruce!
Well, she hadn’t heard of something of the sort, but she squealed with chickpea kinda joy, and booked 2 burgers for herself! These are for you Bethany…
I based the patty recipe on the earlier falafal recipe I had used. Added some sauteed garlic, garlic greens, spring onions & bell peppers to the chickpeas while grinding to a lovely texture. Also added some falafel mix that my niece had got me from Dubai. That is optional though. The burgers got their beautiful green colour from lots of fresh coriander. Great taste and a welcome change from chicken burgers. Ten in 10!!
Originally made with fava beans in Egypt, the dish later migrated northwards, where chickpeas replaced the fava. Falafel is made from fava beans or chickpeas or a combination of the two. The Egyptian variation uses fava beans exclusively, while other variations may use only chickpeas. Palestinians and Yemenite Jews in Jerusalem historically made their falafel from chickpeas and parsley only, as in Syria and Lebanon, and this continues to be how falafel is known throughout the Levant today.
Unlike many other bean patties, in falafel, the beans are not cooked prior to use. Instead they are soaked with bicarbonate of soda, then ground with the addition of a small quantity of onion, parsley, and spices such as cumin and coriander.
Falafel Patties Adapted fromEpicurious 1 cup dried chickpeas 2-3 stalks of garlic greens with stems 4 cloves of garlic 1 red bell pepper, chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup) 1 teaspoon salt 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper 2 tsps falafel mix (optional) 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 tablespoons flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Method:
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, and then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
Saute the garlic, garlic greens and red bell pepper in 1 tbsp oil till soft (4-5 minutes).
Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the bell pepper mixture, coriander, salt, hot pepper, falafel mix and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
Form the chickpea mixture into patties, and shallow fry.
Use sandwiched in burger buns with a hung yogurt garlic dip, tomatoes, lettuce,onions etc.
Note: Use patties immediately as they tend to harden up as they stand. The burgers taste best fresh!
About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.
I love your beautiful sweet treats but I'm doing 10in10 too (not that well I might add!) and appreciate something unique and lighter to try. Getting tired of lettuce. And more lettuce. Thanks Deeba!
I love falafel Deeba, specially daugther (she dont like meat, only fishes and seafood), your look absolutely georgeous I will make your recipe, huggs gloria
Love your burger but I don't think I can convince hub to eat it. He's a meat man. LOL! My sis actually sent me a recipe on chickpeas burger a year or two back but I never got around to try it out. There is even a tofu version. 🙂
I absolutely LOVE chickpeas and haven't made any felafel or suchlike with them for far tooooo long. Thank you for reminding me I could use them like this (like Bethany I've been lusting after hummus a lot lately!!).
Good luck with Ten in 10. I am into my third week now and have lost 6-7lb so very pleased. Quite a few more to go now! Being a food blogger on a diet is tough going! xxxx
When we were little my dad made millet burgers and we poo poohed them and told him they were dry and awful. I think a yogurt dip might have helped it out a little. I might even try it out on my husband.
Love chickpeas, and this seems like a brilliant way to use them! 🙂 I can only imagine how yummy this would be with some halloumi (And some of Beth's garlic mayo) but it wouldn't be as healthy anymore. 😛
yum, I would eat that without the bun though, I don't eat much bread. Just curious I know its high in fiber which is very good and filling but do you know about that calorie content of the burger without adding in bun calorie?
Looks yummy. Will try it soon. I always thought the falafel was made with cooked chickpeas…never tried it this way. Thanks a ton for sharing such a nice recipe… and so healthy too.
Honey! You are the sweetest person! Thanks so much for my virtual burgers… I am licking the screen and wishing i was at your table in person chowing down and exchanging laughs! xx
these look oh so terrific. Love the pictures as well!
Oh, mmmm, falafel burger, what a brilliant idea! I've only tried to make falafel once from beans, and it was a complete fiasco. It fell apart while frying creating falafel crumbs! 😉 I have to try your recipe!
Ah Deeba, that's the dish for me! Hope you made plenty cause we'll all be lining up at the door! LOVE felafel and love how you made them. Great meal! And love your pictures!
love falafel, deeba and falafel burger patties is a great idea. but this is the first time i am hearing of chickpea that's not been boiled once. i think the chickpeas need to be boiled lightly. and also add a few peppercorns right bfore mincing, really adds je ne sais quoi to the falafel. and ofcourse if you have parsely, that is the best. parsley leaves and pepper, cumin,coriander seeds=best falafel recipe. completely my pov though 🙂
Thank you for the idea and recipe.These burgers look and sound awesome. I need to add them to my 10 in 10 plan. Big time. Its almost the end of January and I give myself a 4/10 on success…
Part of the problem of course, are nights like MOMOFUKU. Have you seen his new cookbook?
Have a great week and lets urge each other on in our quest for more veggies and 10 in 10 results!!
32 Comments
Barbara @ VinoLuciStyle
I love your beautiful sweet treats but I'm doing 10in10 too (not that well I might add!) and appreciate something unique and lighter to try. Getting tired of lettuce. And more lettuce. Thanks Deeba!
Gloria
I love falafel Deeba, specially daugther (she dont like meat, only fishes and seafood), your look absolutely georgeous I will make your recipe, huggs gloria
The Cooking Ninja
Love your burger but I don't think I can convince hub to eat it. He's a meat man. LOL! My sis actually sent me a recipe on chickpeas burger a year or two back but I never got around to try it out. There is even a tofu version. 🙂
Dawn
ohhh these are one of my favorites! very nice Deeba!!
Anonymous
These sound really wonderful. I'm with you, trying to eat healthier and incorporate some more vegetarian meals into the fam's diet. Love falafel!
Snooky doodle
what an interesting recipe! I m trying these burgers soon 😉
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
I absolutely LOVE chickpeas and haven't made any felafel or suchlike with them for far tooooo long. Thank you for reminding me I could use them like this (like Bethany I've been lusting after hummus a lot lately!!).
Good luck with Ten in 10. I am into my third week now and have lost 6-7lb so very pleased. Quite a few more to go now! Being a food blogger on a diet is tough going! xxxx
Diana H
When we were little my dad made millet burgers and we poo poohed them and told him they were dry and awful. I think a yogurt dip might have helped it out a little. I might even try it out on my husband.
pigpigscorner
Great idea! A very healthy and delicious burger.
meeso
That looks great, and so healthy!
Su-yin
Love chickpeas, and this seems like a brilliant way to use them! 🙂 I can only imagine how yummy this would be with some halloumi (And some of Beth's garlic mayo) but it wouldn't be as healthy anymore. 😛
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Gorgeous stuff Deeba! You make even a humble burger look high end! 😀 At the moment I'm also using your mascarpone recipe which I love to do!
Rosa's Yummy Yums
That's a great idea! It sure looks wonderful!
Cheers,
Rosa
LetMeEatCake Eat With Me!
i love falafels and i recently found a falafel chip! great healthy recipe, can't wait to try it!
Chelsey
These look great! I have never made anything like this before. Beautiful pictures too. How did your kids like the burgers?
Komal-Nishka
Dee super duper – what a modern spin on the falafel – awesome.. must try.. xx
Anonymous
yum, I would eat that without the bun though, I don't eat much bread. Just curious I know its high in fiber which is very good and filling but do you know about that calorie content of the burger without adding in bun calorie?
Erika
Smita
Looks yummy. Will try it soon. I always thought the falafel was made with cooked chickpeas…never tried it this way. Thanks a ton for sharing such a nice recipe… and so healthy too.
Hugs,
Smita
Happy Cook
Love love falafel, i always served with pita bread, . I like the idea you served llike a burger. It had been a while sicne i made them. Drool.
Bethany (Dirty Kitchen Secrets)
Honey! You are the sweetest person! Thanks so much for my virtual burgers… I am licking the screen and wishing i was at your table in person chowing down and exchanging laughs! xx
these look oh so terrific. Love the pictures as well!
Hugs and kisses xoxo
Sari
Oh, mmmm, falafel burger, what a brilliant idea! I've only tried to make falafel once from beans, and it was a complete fiasco. It fell apart while frying creating falafel crumbs! 😉 I have to try your recipe!
Bellini Valli
Well falafels are definitely one of my all time favourite things Deeba, but I must admit to never having tried them in burger form.
Jamie
Ah Deeba, that's the dish for me! Hope you made plenty cause we'll all be lining up at the door! LOVE felafel and love how you made them. Great meal! And love your pictures!
Barbara Bakes
That's the prettiest burger I think I've ever seen! How great that it's healthy too!
Manggy
I love how nice and plump the burgers are. You should be (back?) in shape in no time at all!
MeetaK
falafel are my favorite mid eastern treats!! i am so looking forward to be indulging in them when i am in dubai in 5 days!!!
Curry Leaf
I too love falafels. Yours are perfect.
Rajani@eatwritethink
love falafel, deeba and falafel burger patties is a great idea. but this is the first time i am hearing of chickpea that's not been boiled once. i think the chickpeas need to be boiled lightly. and also add a few peppercorns right bfore mincing, really adds je ne sais quoi to the falafel. and ofcourse if you have parsely, that is the best. parsley leaves and pepper, cumin,coriander seeds=best falafel recipe. completely my pov though 🙂
lobstersandwich
Hello Deeba:
Thank you for the idea and recipe.These burgers look and sound awesome. I need to add them to my 10 in 10 plan. Big time. Its almost the end of January and I give myself a 4/10 on success…
Part of the problem of course, are nights like MOMOFUKU. Have you seen his new cookbook?
Have a great week and lets urge each other on in our quest for more veggies and 10 in 10 results!!
Cheers
SAUCY
Mowie @ Mowielicious
Deeba Dahling! I love falafel and I love chickpeas, so this is the perfect combo. Gorgeous pictures as always my love xx
faithy, the baker
Wow! I love your food presentation and your photos are simple amazing! Normally i don't fancy burgers but yours make me want to bite into it! Yummy!
Jeanne @ Cooksister!
Now that's a burger I could sink my teeth into! LOVE falafel and yours sounds fantastic. YUM!