BEETROOT FALAFEL

INGREDIENTS
For Falafal
1 cup chick peas or garbanzo peas
1/2 cup boiled beetroot (don't over cook)
1 large chopped onion
5-6 garlic cloves
1/2 cup freshly chopped coriander
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (not baking powder)
2 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp tahini paste
salt and chilli to taste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs or 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (Maida)

For Tahini Paste
1 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil (add more as per the desired consistency)
salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
For Tahini paste:

Dry roast sesame seeds or you can even skip roasting it. Blend the seeds with water till smooth and creamy. Now add olive oil and blend again. Add salt and pepper.

For Falafal

Soak chickpeas overnight. Drain the excess water and keep in strainer to let it dry completely. Chop beetroot and boil it make sure it doesn't get over boil.

Take a large bowl or dish add chickpeas, 3 tbsp tahini paste, bread crumbs, chopped onion, garlic cloves, washed coriander leaves, cumin powder, coriander powder, baking powder, lemon juice, salt and chilli. Mix all these ingredients well. Blend them all in blender till crumbly and little coarse. If you find the paste too loose add more breadcrumbs or flour (maida).

Transfer in bowl add keep in fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

After one hour, make balls of desired size and deep fry in medium hot oil BUT on medium to low flame making sure it gets cooked from inside.

Other way of ensuring it gets cooked from inside is to first fry on medium flame, keep in plate for 2-3 minutes, and then fry again on low flame for 2-3 minutes, this will cook it from inside and outside.

Serve with tahini paste or any dip of your choice.

NOTES:

1. Roasting sesame seeds are completely optional. Tahini paste can be made using roasted or unroasted seeds. I used without roasting.

If you are roasting sesame seeds make sure you don't over roast or over brown it or it will turn bitter in taste.

2. Over boiling or over cooking beetroot will make falalfal paste too pasty and mushy. Make sure it's just cooked or even if it is half boiled will be good to use.

3. Breadcrumbs can be substituted with all-purpose flour.

4. Make sure to fry falafal on medium to low flame to cook from inside.

5. You can use mashed and boiled beetroot or mint and coriander chutney in tahini paste to make it more yummy.

6. I generally pack this in kids tiffin as it is healthy and filling. I always prepare it night before so that I just need to fry it in the morning.

Pictorial:

1. Soak chickpeas over night. Drain the excess water.

2. Boil beetroot.

3. Grind sesame seeds with water.

4. Add olive oil according to the consistency you desire.

5. It's ready.

6. I added divided tahini paste in 3 portions one for falalfal, other for plain tahini paste and the third one for mint and coriander leaves to make it more yummy.