South Western Falafel

w/ Chipotle-Hot Honey & Lime Crema

"Falafels seasoned with cumin, coriander, jalapeño, garlic & coriander, served with flatbread, fresh vegetables and served with chipotle hot honey and lime crema"

Ingredients

Note: You will need a food processor or a meat grinder for this recipe and a mortar & pestle to grind the spices.

Falafel

1 ½ cups chickpeas, dry

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1/2 cup minced yellow onion

¼ cup small dice, jalapeño

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly minced, garlic

1/2 cup fresh parsley, flat leaf (Italian)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

2 limes zested

1 1/2 teaspoons salt ¼ cup chickpea flour

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

Peanut oil or similar (high smoke point)

Food thermometer

Lime Crema

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

Salt

Toppings

6" flatbread

Lettuce

Tomato, sliced

Avocado, diced

Red onion, thinly sliced or diced

Jalapeños, thinly sliced

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Chipotle, Hot Honey

½ cup honey

Chipotle in Adobo sauce (canned)

¼ teaspoon freshly minced, garlic

Directions

Add the chickpeas to a bowl and cover with water 4 inches from the top of chickpeas. Let soak overnight or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. The next day, drain chickpeas, rinse off and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Note: Prepare the chipotle hot honey and lime crema before starting on the falafel.

Preparation:

Add the cumin and coriander seeds to a cast iron skillet in a single layer over medium heat and continuously shake or stir. Toast until seeds are fragrant and slightly darker in color. Remove from heat and scrape into a small bowl to cool. Once cooled, add to the mortar & pestle and grind.

Add the chickpeas to the food processor and pulse until a coarse, crumbly meal forms. Firmly squeeze out juices from minced onion to prevent mixture from being too wet, and add to the chickpeas along with the jalapeño, garlic, parsley, cilantro, lime zest, spices, salt, then pulse until vegetables and herbs are finely chopped, being careful not to over process the chickpeas. Add the falafel mixture to a large mixing bowl. Whisk the chickpea flour and baking powder together, sprinkle over the falafel mixture, and mix in well/evenly. Let rest about 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Frying

Form about 2 1/2-3 tablespoons of the falafel into a ball and then press flat. Repeat. Falafel can be delicate/crumbly, so handle carefully.

Add about 1/2 inch of oil to a frying pan and heat over medium temperature. Once oil reaches 350F start frying your falafels. Brown each side then place on paper towels. Fry in small batches and add more oil as needed. Serve immediately. If needed, keep warm in oven at 200F. Makes around 2 dozen.

Serve with the flatbread, toppings and sauces.

Chipotle, Hot Honey

Add the honey to a small bowl. Add some of the adobo sauce and finely chop some of the chipotle and add-to taste. I used about 1 tablespoon. Add the garlic and whisk together.

Lime Crema

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and then season with a pinch or two of salt.