Falafel with Chipotle Mayo and Spicy Homemade Hummus

I'm going to be honest with you, this won't be the blog post I'm the most proud of.  It's a bit of a sham.  For one, I started with this:



Now you know I know how to make falafel.  It really isn't difficult.  But I just didn't take a lot of time to read this recipe before I made it, and I thought I'd be doctoring the falafel mix more than I actually did...which ended up being not at all.  Still, I know some people might really like the kind that comes in a packet, so I didn't think it could hurt to show you how to make falafel from a packet a little more special.



Of course, making the hummus isn't all that different from making falafel.  In fact, it's almost exactly the same.  But at least this way you don't need to clean the food processor twice.  I adjusted this basic hummus recipe to be a little bit spicy, and I really enjoyed it! But, this brings me to the other reason why this post is a sham, my brain was totally slipping on remembering to take pictures, so you only get the final product.  Sorry!



And I'm also sorry to say that my other pictures aren't exactly my best either.  I don't even have more than 1 decent picture of the finished sandwich - my others were totally out of focus.  It was just one of those days. I'll try to make sure I do better next time :)



This recipe was so easy and really great.  I think the hummus can have so many other applications, including just having it with some carrots as an appetizer.  Making hummus couldn't be easier, and it's way cheaper than buying it pre-made, so I hope that's the big takeaway here.  Chipotle mayo, always great, and you can use greek yogurt instead (like I did here), and adds that creamy moisture a good sandwich needs.  I think these ingredients are all easy to keep in the house at any time for a simple dinner you can throw together in no time!



Falafel with Chipotle Mayo and Spicy Homemade Hummus
slightly adapted from Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients
1 (10-oz) package falafel mix
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp olive oil
4 (6-inch) whole wheat pita breads, halved
6 tbsp chipotle mayo (see below)
1 cup spicy homemade hummus (see below)
8 small romaine lettuce heads

Instructions
1. Stir together falafel mix and water in a medium bowl until combined well; let stand according to package instructions.
2. Drop falafel mixture by 2 tablespoonfuls onto large sheets of wax paper (I used my silpat), making a total of 20 mounds (I made bigger but way fewer).
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Shape 5 mounds of falafel mixture into 2-inch patties and add to skillet as they are shaped.  Cook until golden and firm, about 2 min per side.  Transfer patties to plate covered in paper towel and keep warm.  Repeat with remaining oil and falafel mixture.
4. Spread 1 1/2 tsp chipotle mayo and 2 tbsp hummus in each pita.  Cut 4 falafel patties in half and add to each pita along with 1 lettuce leaf.



Chipotle Mayonnaise
from Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients
6 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper from can of chipotles in adobo, minced
2 tsp adobo sauce

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a spatula.  Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.


Spicy Homemade Hummus
adapted from Weight Watchers' Complete New Cookbook

Ingredients
1 (15 1/2-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3-4 drops hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
1 chipotle from a can of chipotles in adobo
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients except paprika in food processor and puree, adding a little bit more water if hummus is too thick.
2. Transfer hummus to serving dish; sprinkle with paprika.  Serve at once or refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days.

Falafel Burgers

My old friend from summer camp came over for another vegetarian meal this week (and a sleepover!).  I love when she comes for dinner because it really makes me think outside the box and try new vegetarian recipes that I might not have otherwise. I was a vegetarian for 4 years when I was younger, but I never really experimented with recipes like I do now.  The ability to search for interesting recipes on the blogosphere has made vegetarian cooking a lot more fun!



I learned yesterday from a coworker that there are 2 types of falafel, Israeli and Indian.  I am accustomed to eating the Israeli kind - it's what they always served at one of my favorite sub shops growing up.  They might have been Greek, but MAN they made good falafel.  Then, when I went to Israel I finally tasted the Israeli falafel street food.  It just might have been my favorite part of Isreal.  Why America went for hot dogs instead of falafel is beyond me.



I digress... these burgers are the Indian type of falafel, hense the tumeric.  I love the beautiful yellow color that the tumeric gives to these burgers. I left out the coriander because I don't like coriander/cilantro and therefore didn't have any.  I didn't miss it at all - these still had tons of flavor - although I did add freshly ground pepper which it didn't call for.



I need to just take a minute here to talk about this tahini.  I'd never bought tahini before, and I do NOT know why.  It's like peanut butter, but with a sesame flavor. It's divine. I bought this at the Asian market, H-Mart, but I think you can find it in your regular grocer as well.  Now I'm on a mission - what else can I make with tahini?



Tahini also went great with hot sauce - which leads me to the bargain of the day.  Even though the sign isn't posted, Frank's Red Hot is on sale at Giant this week for $1.99 plus on coupons.com you can find a $0.50 off coupon (which Giant will double).  Usually over $3 and this week you can get it for $1!



The verdict?  They were approved by my camp friend.  And me too!  They have tons of subtle, warm flavors, complemented well by the nutty tahini paste and a little kick from the jalapeño and hot sauce. Although we ate them for dinner, they'd make a great lunch by the pool.  We served them up with salad while enjoying the sunset over the Washington monument from my balcony - it was the perfect close to the day.  While it was very different from the falafel on the streets of Tel Aviv, it tasted SO much healthier (not deep fried) and absolutely delicious.



Falafel Burgers
From Jenna of Eat Live Run on PBS blog

Ingredients:
1 15-oz can chickpeas
½ red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, minced
3 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons of olive oil (divided)
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup tahini
½ cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 egg white

Instructions:
1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add coriander and tumeric and mix well.
3. Add onion mixture to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve falafel burgers in warm whole wheat pitas with tahini sauce, hot sauce and sliced red onion.