Falafel

Summer / Fall / Winter / Spring / Deep-Fry / LouAna / Main Dish / Peanut Oil / Side Dish / Vegetarian /

DESCRIPTION

An authentic flavor of the Middle East made with LouAna® Peanut Oil. Enjoy this vegetarian dish in a pita for a portable lunch!

TOTAL TIME

40 minutes (plus 2 hours chill time)

SERVINGS

Serves: 7

INGREDIENTS

2 (15.5 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 gallons LouAna® Peanut Oil
7 pita halves
7 lettuce leaves
14 tomato slices, salted and peppered (optional)
1/2 cucumber, sliced (optional)
1/4 red onion, sliced (optional)
1 cup hummus
Crumbled feta cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Combine chickpeas, garlic cloves, cumin, cayenne, parsley, and cilantro in a food processor; process until smooth (about 1 minute), scraping sides.

Combine flour and baking powder. Add flour mixture to chickpea mixture; pulse to combine. Form chickpea mixture into 14 balls; flatten each ball into a 2-inch patty. Place patties on a plate; cover with plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Pour LouAna Peanut Oil into a large deep fryer; heat to 375°F. Fry patties at 375°F for 1 1/2 minutes or until golden on each side. Remove patties.

Place 1 lettuce leaf in each pita half; add sliced tomato, cucumber and red onion to each. Spread about 1 tablespoon hummus on each patty; place 2 patties in each sandwich. Top each sandwich with crumbled feta cheese, if desired.

SAFETY FIRST

There are two options when frying falafel. You can take the traditional approach and use propane fryers. They should be used outdoors in accordance with the manufacturer’s safety procedures. Never use them on a wooden deck or leave them unattended. The second option is to use a Masterbuilt® Electric Deep Fryer that can be used indoors on kitchen countertops, tables, inside garages, and on covered patios. Be sure to always keep children and pets away. But either way you choose, always remember:
• Wear oven mitts.
• Avoid use of alcohol and keep a fire extinguisher nearby, as you would with any type of cooking.

If you make this recipe, share a photo with us on Facebook or Instagram! Just tag your post with #LouAnaCooking