serves 2
200ml (7fl oz/scant 1 cup) sunflower oil, for shallow-frying
For the falafel 240g (8½oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 small red chilli, deseeded
1 clove of garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
30g (1oz) bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks included, roughly chopped
generous pinch of sea salt
For the wraps 2 handfuls of iceberg lettuce
2 flatbreads
2 tablespoons houmous
I love street food. The sight, the sound, the sizzle, and of course, that intoxicating aroma drawing you in from afar. My favourite street food is falafel, served in a warm flatbread, with preserved lemon, hot sauce and crisp lettuce. When I don’t have the time, or inclination, to go out and grab my street food fix, I make these falafel, with a twist on the classic recipe.
Heat the oil in a deep pan over a medium-high heat while you prepare the falafel.
Add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the carrot, onion, and red chilli and blitz to a coarse paste.
Add in the garlic, cumin, cardamom, coriander, sea salt, and 2 tablespoons cold water and blitz again until you have a smoother paste.
Spoon out tablespoon-sized amounts of the mixture and roll into about 8 balls. Add to the hot oil using tongs and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until golden.
In the meantime, lay the lettuce on the flatbreads and place the falafel in when cooked. Top with the houmous, then fold the wrap.
For the speediest result, blitz the falafel ingredients in a food processor or blender, if you don’t have one, mash by hand (with some elbow grease).