Cauliflower Chickpea Falafel & Hummus Lavash

Recipe From What's For Lunch, Honey?

By Meeta K. Wolff

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• For the falafels

• 250g cauliflower florets, washed and dried

• 400g can chickpeas, drained

• Small handful fresh parsley, coriander and mint, chopped

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon chickpea flour

• 1 tablespoon olive oil + 4 tablespoons olive oil

• For the hummus

• 250g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked till tender (see notes below)

• 150 ml tahini

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled

• good pinch of sea salt flakes

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice

• Juice of 2 lemons

• Olive oil, for drizzling

• sumac and/or za'atar

• Store-bought lavash bread or Arabic pita flatbread

• Half a head of red cabbage, finely shredded

• 1 large tomato, thinly sliced

• Handful baby spinach leaves

• Arils of 1/2 a pomegranate, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

2. Add the raw cauliflower florets to a food processor, and process until finely chopped. Add the can of chickpeas and a small handful of herbs, and process thoroughly until well combined. Add the spices and a good pinch of salt and pepper, along with a glug of olive oil and the tablespoon of chickpea flour. Continue to process until everything is smooth and thoroughly combined. The mixture will be slightly crumbly, but should hold together when you squeeze it in your hand.

3. With clean hands, form the mixture into balls, squeezing firmly to hold it together.

4. To bake the falafel: place them on a greased baking tray, and drizzle lightly with oil. Bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. In between turn them around so that they are evenly browned.

5. To make the hummus: drain and rinse the cooked chickpeas well and allow to dry.

6. Throw the garlic cloves and the sea salt flakes into a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the chickpeas and pulse a few time to get a coarse mixture. If required add a couple of tablespoons of water, then add tahini, lemon juice and spices. Process until a creamy consistency is reached. You may find that you need to add some more water to loosen the mixture, drizzle it in little by little, till you reach the texture you are after. See notes below

7. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus. Drizzle olive oil and dust with sumac and za'atar.

8. Assemble the falafel lavash wraps by adding the cabbage, spinach leaves, tomato slices and a few falafels. Drizzle with hummus and scatter with the pomegranate arils, if using. Roll into a wrap-like sandwich and enjoy with olives and pickles.

Notes:

• In a pot soaked chickpeas will take about 1.5 to 2 hours to cook on medium to low heat. You can do this in a pressure cooker to reduce the time.

• Chickpeas are tender when you can squash them between your fingers

• I recommend to leave the hummus to rest for an hour. This allows the flavors to come together and you can judge if you need more seasoning, zest or spice.

• Hummus tends to thicken as it rests - especially if you leave it overnight. I advice to make it slightly thinner. As it rests it will thicken. If you find it too thick mix in either a drizzle of water or lemon juice to loosen it up again.

• Homemade hummus will keep in the fridge, stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2016 Meeta K. Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | If you are interested in using my texts or photographs please contact me | You may not use my work for commercial purposes without my permission | You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work in any form | Please Ask First