Cassava flour felafels

Cassava Flour Felafels

Cassava Flour Felafels

There isn't a lot of flour in these delicious Middle Eastern fritters, but they are gluten-free, a healthy vegetarian source of protein and iron, and can be complemented with just about any side dish to make a full meal.

We often make a big batch, and then throw whatever isn't eaten into the fridge to pull out as a snack later in the week.

The only catch is that you need to prepare the chickpeas the day before, and this recipe really needs a food processor. Other than that, it's really quick and easy!

Ingredients

  • 500g chickpeas - dry (not from a can)
  • ½ teaspoon bicarb soda
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 1 bunch of parsely, chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of Three Spades cassava flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • Oil for frying - olive or rice bran
  • Avocado, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, etc. for salad
  • Hummus and tzatziki (try making your own!)

Method

  • Soak the chickpeas in water overnight - they will double in size so use a big bowl, and make sure the water is 3 inches higher than where the chickpeas come to.
  • The next day, rinse the chickpeas well, and put them into your food processor with all other ingredients (except the oil and salad/dip stuff!).
  • Fill a big pan with 1 inch or so of oil, and place on medium heat.
  • Pulse everything in the food processor until it forms a thick batter. You may need to stop and push everything back down a couple of times. Don't overdo it - it should be well combined but still with a few small chunks, not a paste.
  • Form balls in your wet hands, squeezing a little in your cupped palms to stop them falling apart, and gently place into the hot oil. They will probably be only half covered, so as they crisp up and brown you'll have to use tongs to rotate them.
  • Serve hot with salad and dips on the side.

Notes

Try gently roasting the garlic cloves first, for extra rich flavour! If the felafels fall apart when places in the oil you may have to press them together harder, or even add a bit of water to the mixture. Sometimes doing the first one by itself is a good way to work out if the oil temperature is right. They should be crispy on the outside, and warm and fluffy in the middle. This recipe uses more parsley than traditional recipes, but it really bulks up the nutritional value.

Let us know what you think, in the comments below or on our Facebook page. If you have any recipes you'd like to share, please get in contact!

Preparing cassava flour felafels in the kitchen

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