Falafel mahshi with tahini dressing

Name: Falafel mahshi with tahini dressing recipe
Yield: 20
Ingredients: 300g dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight; 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked; 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked; 1 garlic clove; 1 tsp garam masala; 2 tsp ground cumin; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 4 spring onions, chopped; 150g sesame seeds; 40.00 ml chilli paste; Sunflower oil, to deep-fry; Toum (Lebanese garlic sauce); 1 tsp sumac; 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton); Lebanese pickled turnips, to serve; Sliced green chillies, to serve; Lebanese flatbread, to serve; 40.00 ml unhulled tahini (we used Woolworths Macro); Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve; 1 small garlic clove, crushed; 70g yoghurt; 40.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained; 1 tsp ground cumin; 125.00 ml flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

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A great dinner party starter, these vegetarian falafel mahshi balls are nothing short of delicious. Eat them drizzled with tahini sauce with a side of crispy, fried chickpeas and Lebanese pickles.

300g dried chickpeas, soaked in cold water overnight
1 bunch coriander, leaves picked
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
1 garlic clove
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground cumin
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 spring onions, chopped
1 cup (150g) white sesame seeds
2 tbs chilli paste
Sunflower oil, to deep-fry
Toum (Lebanese garlic sauce)
1 tsp sumac
1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton)
Lebanese pickled turnips, to serve
Sliced green chillies, to serve
Lebanese flatbread, to serve

Tahini Sauce

2 tbs unhulled tahini (we used Woolworths Macro)
Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/4 cup (70g) thick Greek-style yoghurt

Crispy Fried Chickpeas

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Method

1.

Drain chickpeas and rinse under running water. Place in a food processor and whiz until coarsely chopped. Add herbs, garlic, spices, lemon zest and spring onions, and whiz to combine.
2.

Season well with salt. Place sesame seeds on a tray. Working with 1 heaped tbs mixture at a time, shape into a round and place a few drops of chilli paste in the centre.
3.

Enclose the felafel around chilli into a ball, then roll completely in sesame seeds. Repeat with remaining mixture, chilli paste and sesame seeds to make 20 felafel.
4.

Half-fill a saucepan or deep-fryer with oil and heat to 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 30 seconds when oil is hot enough). In 3 batches, deep-fry felafel for 4-5 minutes until golden and crisp.
5.

Drain on paper towel and keep warm.
6.

For the tahini dressing, combine all ingredients in a bowl with 1/3 cup (80ml) warm water, stirring until smooth. Season with salt. Set aside.
7.

For the crispy fried chickpeas, heat oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chickpeas and cook, tossing the pan, for 3-4 minutes until warmed through.
8.

Add cumin and parsley and season with salt. Cook, tossing pan, for 2-3 minutes until parsley and chickpeas are crispy.
9.

Serve chickpeas on toum with hot felafel, pickles, chilli, flatbread and lemon.