Vegan Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce
Yield: 5 servings
Serve with pita bread, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, thinly sliced red onion, and tzatziki sauce.
2 15-oz cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbs. cumin
2 tsp. granulated garlic or granulated onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
3/4 cup flour
2-4 cups oil for frying
1) Blend the garbanzo beans, 2 Tbsp. oil, lemon juice, parsley, cumin, granulated garlic or onion, salt, baking powder, and optional cayenne pepper in a food processor until smooth.
2) Transfer mix to a bowl and stir in flour.
3) Pour the frying oil into a heavy-bottom pan until the oil is one inch deep. Heat the oil to 350º F, checking the temperature with a candy thermometer.
4) Carefully lower walnut-sized scoops of the falafel mix into the hot oil.
5) Fry falafel until browned on both sides and no longer doughy in the middle, about 4 minutes total.
6) Place cooked falafel onto a plate lined with paper towels.
*Cool, strain, and refrigerate leftover oil for later use, if desired.
Tzatziki Sauce
Yield: 2 cups
Tzatziki sauce is the traditional dressing served with falafels and gyros.
1 cucumber, ends removed
1 12-oz container vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt (1_ cups)
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. granulated garlic or granulated onion
salt to taste (about _ tsp.)
1) Shred cucumber into a medium sized bowl.
2) Stir in the sour cream or yogurt, lemon juice, and granulated garlic or onion.
3) Add salt to taste.