Broad Bean Felafel

One of the things I miss most about Sydney, is a decent daily broadsheet. The Sydney Morning Herald is a great newspaper, and my favourite section is Tuesday's Good Living. FH Alphie has been religiously collecting them since I moved to Perth, and each time I return home, a pile of Good Livings awaits me.

I found this recipe in the last pile FH Alphie handed over - 28 September, to be exact. And the timing couldn't have been more perfect, as FSIL had just received a shiny new KitchenAid food processor as a gift (from a long-term bludging house guest...)

Mine looked nothing like those in the recipe, but they were still really tasty, very filling, and iridescent green. I think this had to do with the order I put things in the food processor, so I've modified the recipe below, and I hope it works better for you than it did for me!


Broad bean felafel fritters
from SMH Good Living, September 28 2010
(makes 10-12)

• 1kg fresh broad beans
• 400g tin chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup coriander leaves, loosely packed
• 1 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
• 1 clove garlic
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1 red chilli, deseeded
• 1/2 lemon, zest & juice
• plain flour for dusting
• vegetable oil for dusting

Remove broad beans from their pods. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add broad beans and simmer for a few minutes.

The ever shrinking broad beans...!

Drain, rinse to cool slightly, and peel off the outer skins - I find that the easiest way to do this is to pierce the skin along one edge, and gently squeeze it out.

My unfortunately green, smooth as silk mix.

This is where I deviate from the recipe. I would suggest you put the herbs in the food processor first, and lightly chop them up. Then add the remaining ingredients; broad beans, chickpeas, garlic, coriander, cumin, chilli and lemon, and pulse until roughly chopped and combined.


Then shape into patties, and lightly coat in flour. Heat oil in a large frypan, and cook for a few minutes on each side until lightly brown.

Serve with yoghurt, flat bread and salad.

-Alphie

Mexican beans

My younger sister requested I include more vegetarian recipes (not that we don't eat veggie things, I just haven't blogged on many of them), so here it is. This is based on a recipe from a very 90's cookbook called Meals without meat, which I picked up from a garage sale for about 50c, and I have used a lot - more than some of my more expensive cookbooks (V, I hear ya!).

This is a quick & easy vegetarian take on chilli con carne, and can be used for burritos, tacos, nachos, or just eaten with rice.

Mexican beans
adapted from meals without meat, pg 32
serves 4

• 2 large onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, finely diced
• 2tbs rice bran oil
• 2 capsicums, seeded and diced
• 1/2tsp chilli powder (or more to taste)
• 1/2tsp chilli flakes (or more to taste)
• 3tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2tsp salt
• 1 1/2tsp sugar
• 3tbs tomato paste
• 2 x 400g cans red kidney beans

Heat oil in a large pan, and cook the onion and garlic until just soft. Add the capsicum, and sauté for a few minutes, then add the spices (chilli, cumin, oregano, salt & sugar). Stir until fragrant, then add in the tomato paste and stir to coat.

Add in one can of beans, liquid and all (I know it sounds crazy, but it helps to thicken the mixture). Drain the other can, add to the pan and add half a can of water.

Check out the different colours of the red kidney beans - Aldi v Annalisa from BiLo

Simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until desired thickness.

-Alphie