Ingredients
- For the falafel:
- 190g dried chickpeas
- 1 medium brown onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, diced
- Large handful flatleaf parsley, chopped
- Large handful coriander, chopped
- 1tbs ground coriander
- 1/2tbs ground cumin
- 1tsp baking powder
- Sea salt and black pepper
- For the harissa jam:
- 2 red peppers
- 2tsp vegetable oil
- 1tbs caraway seeds
- 1tsp ground cumin
- 4 large chillis, de-seeded and chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1tbs tomato purée
- 1tbs red wine vinegar
- 1/2tbs olive oil
- 1tbs caster sugar
- Sea salt
- For the freekeh salad:
- 100g freekeh
- 800ml water
- 1 cucumber, diced
- Seeds of 1 pomegranate
- 1tbs pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
- Handful flatleaf parsely, chopped
- Handful mint leaves, chopped
- 1tbs pomegranate molasses
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Start by soaking the dried chickpeas. Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water until three-quarters full (the chickpeas will expand as they soak up the water, so make sure there is plenty of water in the bowl so they stay covered). Leave to soak at room temperature for at least eight hours, but ideally overnight.
- After soaking, rinse the chickpeas in cold water, strain well and set aside.
- Into a food processor, add the onion, garlic, flat parsley and fresh coriander, and blend to a paste (you will need to scrape down the sides a few times with a spatula). Place a sieve over a bowl and add the paste to the sieve. You want to remove some of the extra liquid from the blended paste so the falafel mix isn’t too wet.
- Without cleaning the food processor, add in the chickpeas and blend, again stopping a few times and scraping the sides down with a spatula so you have no large pieces of chickpea. Then scrape the blended chickpeas into a large bowl. Add the strained onion and herb paste along with ground coriander, cumin, baking powder, sea salt and pepper, and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- To check the seasoning of the mix, heat a nonstick frying pan and add some vegetable oil. Take a small amount of falafel mix and shape one small, flat piece. Place it in the pan and fry on both sides until golden brown, then remove from the pan, allow to cool slightly, and taste. You may find the mix needs more salt as the chickpeas require a good seasoning. When happy with the balance, place the mix in the fridge.
- To make the harissa, begin by preheating the oven to 200 degrees. Place the two red peppers on a small oven tray and drizzle with vegetable oil. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, then remove and allow to cool. When cool, peel the skin off the red peppers and discard. Remove the stem and seeds and discard, keeping the red pepper flesh.
- Heat a frying pan and add the caraway seeds. Toast for one to two minutes, then remove and grind the caraway seeds with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Place the red pepper flesh in a food processor along with the ground caraway seeds, cumin, chillies, garlic, tomato purée, red wine vinegar, olive oil, sugar and salt, and blend. Check the seasoning, then scrape into a bowl or small serving pot and set aside.
- Rinse the freekeh a few times with cold water to remove excess starch, then add to a pot along with the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes until just tender. Strain the freekeh, then spread it out on a large tray and allow to cool.
- When cool, place the freekeh in a bowl along with the diced cucumber, pomegranate seeds, pistachio nuts, chopped parsley and mint, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt and pepper and stir with a spoon to combine.
- Now to cook the falafel. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Remove the mix from the fridge. Take roughly a golf ball-sized amount of falafel mix in your hand and shape into a small, thick disc shape. Heat a frying pan and add some vegetable oil. (You may need to cook in batches, depending on the size of your pan). Carefully place the falafel discs into the pan and fry for three to four minutes on a medium heat until browned, then turn and fry on the other side for three to four minutes (add some extra oil if needed). Then remove and place on a baking tray and roast in the oven for six to seven minutes.
- Remove the falafels from the oven. To serve, spoon the freekeh salad on to plates and add the falafel and a spoon of the harissa. Garnish the salad with some more fresh mint leaves.
