For our next Veganuary recipe, we have a super healthy, simple and tasty lunch. If you’ve never baked chickpeas/garbanzo beans in the oven, give this recipe a try! This quick and easy dish lets you enjoy the flavours of falafel, without the hassle of deep-frying or the mess of rolling into balls.
for the chickpeas/ garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
1⁄4 teaspoon chilli/chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
160 g/1 cup cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans, well drained
for the salad
20 g/1 cup rocket/arugula
1 round/butterhead lettuce (about 160 g/51⁄2 oz.)
6 leaves red leaf lettuce
2 ripe tomatoes (about 340 g/3⁄4 lb.)
1 small bunch fresh basil
1 portion Mediterranean Seed Falafel mixture (do not form into falafels, see below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 portion vegan Tzatziki Sauce (see below)
4 pitta pockets, cut into wedges, toasted, to serve
baking sheet, lined with baking parchment
Mediterranean seed falafel mix
120 g/1 cup pumpkin seeds
70 g/1⁄2 cup sunflower seeds
60 g/1⁄2 cup walnuts
6 sun-dried tomato halves, soaked
50 g/1⁄2 cup fresh basil leaves
50 g/1⁄2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon
Mediterranean dried herbs mix (thyme, savory, marjoram, rosemary, basil, fennel)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1–2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or to taste
salt, to taste
Serves 2-4
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) Gas 4.
For the chickpeas/garbanzo beans, mix together all the ingredients apart from the chickpeas/ garbanzo beans to make a marinade. Pour the marinade over the chickpeas/garbanzo beans and toss to coat well.
Spread the coated chickpeas/garbanzo beans on the lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven until the chickpeas/garbanzo beans soak in all the marinade and start browning. Alternatively, you could do this in a frying pan/skillet: Heat the pan, add the chickpeas/garbanzo beans, pour over the marinade and mix quickly with two wooden spoons over high heat until fragrant and well roasted.
Wash the salad leaves well and drain. Tear the lettuce leaves into smaller pieces. Cut the tomatoes into wedges and chop the basil. Place all the vegetables in a big wide bowl, crumble over the Mediterranean falafel mixture, add the baked chickpeas/garbanzo beans and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Mix well to incorporate.
Divide into separate plates and serve the tzatziki sauce in 2–4 small bowls, so each person can pour it over the falafel salad just before eating.
Vegan tzatziki sauce
2 cucumbers (about 400 g/14 oz.), peeled and grated
500 ml/2 cups soy yogurt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar (optional)
2 garlic cloves, crushed
freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly snipped chives
salt
Makes about 700 ml/3 cups
Mix the grated cucumbers with a little salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze out as much of the cucumber juice as you can, otherwise the liquid will water down the dip.
Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and add the cucumber flesh. Chill until ready to serve. There you have it!
For more vegan fella recipes, check out Falafel Forever by Dunja Gulin.