Falafel Sandwiches
Submitted by JimKC2
Falafel sandwiches with split pea and chickpea flour fritters stuffed into pita pockets with tomatoes, onions, pickles, and your choice of homemade hummus or tahini sauce. A vegan Middle Eastern lunch.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
10 minREADY
20 minThese falafel sandwiches break with tradition in one interesting way: dried green split peas replace the usual all-chickpea base. The peas soak overnight, get mashed, and combine with chickpea flour for binding, plus cumin, parsley, and onion powder for the classic Middle Eastern flavor. The split peas give a slightly greener, sweeter falafel than chickpeas alone.
The recipe comes with two house-made sauces. A chunky hummus-style dip and a smooth tahini sauce with a touch of ginger and lemon. The tahini dip is the unusual one: ginger is not a standard falafel ingredient, but it adds a subtle warmth that plays well against the cumin in the falafel itself. Build the sandwiches in split pita pockets with sliced tomato, onion, dill pickle spears, and a generous spoon of either sauce or both.
Pro Tips
- Soak the split peas overnight in plenty of cold water. Skipping the soak gives you hard, gritty falafel that fall apart in the oil.
- Drain the soaked peas thoroughly before mashing. Wet legumes make the dough too loose to hold together.
- Fry in oil hot enough to bubble briskly around each falafel. Cool oil leaves them greasy and soggy.
- Test one falafel first. If it falls apart, work in more chickpea flour. If the dough feels too dry, a splash more water.
- Drain on paper towels before serving so the sandwich does not turn soggy from absorbed oil.
Variations
- Use the more traditional all-chickpea base if you cannot find split peas. Soak the chickpeas overnight first as well.
- Bake the falafel at 400F (200C) instead of frying for a lighter version. They will be drier but lower in fat.
- Add chopped fresh cilantro and a pinch of cayenne for a more aggressive Egyptian-style flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
For hummus dip:
Combine beans, 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup tahini, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix well. Set aside.
For dip:
Combine ¼ cup tahini, ¼ cup oil, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, sugar and ¼ teaspoon ginger. Blend well. Set aside.
To make falafel:
Soak split peas in water to cover overnight. Drain and mash. Add ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, garbanzo bean flour, onion powder, parsley, ½ cup water and cumin and mix well. Shape into small balls.
Fry in 2 cups hot oil and drain on paper towels. Split pita bread to form pockets.
Fill pockets with split pea balls and tomato, onion and pickle slices. Top with hummus or tahini dip.
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