Baked Falafel

I can't sing the praises of legumes loud enough. They are packed full of beneficial nutrients - like iron, zinc and calcium - and are a fantastic source of dietary fibre. For many, finding ways to increase their intake of legumes can't seem difficult. Falafel are, however, a great way to boost your intake of legumes (namely chickpeas) and make a great addition to main meals or as a stand alone snack. 

These falafel are baked (not fried) and have a coating of poppy and sesame seeds for extra crunch (and calcium!)

Serves: 6

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

375g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 medium brown onion, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 large handful parsley, roughly chopped
1 large handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
3 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch ground black pepper
2 Tbsp wholemeal plain flour
2 Tbsp water
Sesame seeds, to coat

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C with the rack positioned toward the top of the oven.
2. Place the sesame seeds onto a small plate and set aside.
3. Place the soaked, drained chickpeas into the food processor, along with everything but the sesame seeds. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides as you go.
4. Using wet hands, scoop out and roll the mixture into 12 large balls, roughly the size of a golf ball.
5. Roll each ball into the sesame seeds until they are evenly coated, and place onto the baking tray.
6. Transfer the tray to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping the balls half way through.
7. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the balls to a wire cooling rack.