FELAFEL PICNIC PLATTER (Updated) Make-ahead, Easy-Peasy, Healthy, Low-fat, wallet-friendly

This colourful vegan platter is great for entertaining...  

Felafel Platter with Tomato-Mushroom Salsa and 15-minute Flatbread
made at home easily, quickly and much of it in advance

If you've ever had felafels at corner food stalls in the Middle East (or indeed in London) you'll understand why the crispy little veggie balls are so popular.  Composed of protein-rich chick peas, they're crunchy on the outside, gorgeously mealy within, and layered with wonderful flavours. 

67's version - felafel patties - have broad beans added to the usual mix and are softer than usual.  That's a bonus if you have small kids or family members with dental issues, or if you just fancy a change without altering health-giving qualities.  

67's felafel patties are lower in oil and are more easily distributed in your bread choice.  The 'soft-serve' felafels proved popular until the recipe got mangled, hence the update.   

Felafel patties are easily put together, can be made ahead and are delicious hot or cold.  

Warmed Pitta pockets or wraps are the usual carrier for felafels but these patties are sensational with hot 15-minute flatbreads or really good fresh bread.  A lively tomato-mushroom-grapefruit salsa adds piquancy and yoghurt-mayonnaise  a cooling creaminess.  To drink, a fabulous non-alcohol white sangria. 

If the full vegan platter isn't for you, try the felafels as a snack bite or 'picky bit'.  A tester, eating them unadorned, pronounced  them 'lovely and very tasty.'    

Cost: min £5'ish for felafels only; more if replacing frozen broadbeans with fresh (6/25)

Feeds: 6-8 (recipe halves or doubles nicely) 

Ingred:

     200 gm (7 oz) (about 260 gm frozen) defrosted drained broad beans  (skins left on is fine but the mix is so much better if they are removed - see YouTube)

     200 gm (7 oz) reconstituted chickpeas (best, see instructions below) OR tinned
     3 cloves garlic, crushed or grated  OR 3 tb green tops only of fodmap-friendly spring onions OR finel chopped fennel (other untested by 67 but recommended replacements for garlic, see here)
     2 tbsp each finely chopped fresh (preferred) parsley, dill and mint (OR 2 tsp each of dried)

     1.5 tsp coriander seeds (opt)

    (opt) 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped OR 1 tsp ground cumin
    1.5 tsp baking powder mixed with 3 tbsp warm water
    1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper 
    2 tbsp sesame or sunflower seeds

    50 gm/1.7 oz silken tofu,ideal, or dairy/plant yoghurt drained overnight until very thick
    2 tsp tahini 
    grated zest of 1 lemon
    2 tbsp tomato puree (opt)
    40 gm/1.2oz chickpea (besan) flour (ideal) or wholemeal spelt flour or (for extra protein) ground almonds

    crispy lettuce (iceberg or cos) shredded
    cucumber, thinly sliced

   tomato-mushroom-grapefruit salsa
   yoghurt-mayonnaise 

Method:

1. Line a cookie pan with greaseproof paper; a place a baking rack on top
2. Process first 8 ingred into a thick paste, using a stick or bowl blender (if using tinned chickpeas & defrosted broad beans, the paste should be coarsely processed)
3. In a separate bowl, blend tofu (preferred) or yoghurt, tahihi, lemon juice and tomato puree if using, until smooth & creamy.  Add to chickpea mix; stir  
4. Add 1/4 cup/ 40 gm/1.2 oz chickpea flour;  mix well with clean hands, the paddle of a freestanding mixer, or an electric beater on slow speed; season with pepper & salt, season, adjusting as necessart
5. Chill one hour or overnight
6. Check consistency of felafel mix; if too floppy, add a little more chickpea flour; form into generous golf-ball sized balls (67 used a small hiunged metal ice cream scoop- 1.2in/4cm in diameter); press them lightly on top and bottom until flat'ish, tidy edges by rolling them on a surface 
7. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
8. Fry: Heat a large frypan on med-high; generously oil; add felafels without crowding the pan (you may have to do this in batches);  shallow-fry this side until golden - about 3 mins (don't crowd the pan); carefully turn over and shallow fry until just beginning to colour.  Place, partially fried side uppermost, on the rack in the baking tray, bake 5-7 mins or until inside is cooked;
9. Air-fry: coat a large tray with a thin layer of oil; add felafels in one layer; gently turn over to coat the other side adding a little more oil if needed; pre-heat air fryer to 180C/350F; air-fry 2-3 mins until crisp, golden and cooked through
10. Rest on paper towels to absorb excess fat; move to cooling rack 
11. If serving immediately, turn oven down to 160c/325f ; keep warm 10-15 mins; arrange decoratively with choice of bread, salad, salsa and dressing
12. Dining al fresco: pack a sharp knife wrapped a tea towel; a chopping board, a cucumber, a good-sized container of washed and well dried lettuce, a drip-proof container of Grapefruit Mushroom Salsa, if using, and chosen bread. The felafel patties will retain their shape if arranged  in a stiff sided container with grease-proof paper between layers

   

Comments:

• 'I just love this platter; it is so summery arranged on a picnic blanket/table.    I feel happy eating a lot without worrying about calories.  It's best to be careful packing the ingredients but even broken felafel patties taste wonderful!'   Retired writer '
• 'It's too hot to eat so I ate them on their own; they were very tasty, loved them very much.'  67 handyman

Tips:

• if time permits, reconstituted dried chickpeas, fresh broad beans and fresh herbs take this to another level  
• if there are no health issues, the felafel patties can be deep fried
• leftover felafels if any don't freeze well; chop into bite-size pieces, stir fry with brown rice & peas; serve with veggie mushroom gravy
• Pitta: 67 loves the puffy round ones - Taboon -  from supermarkets or Middle Eastern delis but they do cost more than standard pitta or home-made bread

 

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This recipe  has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.