Mini-falafel, pita bread, baba ghanoush, pickles
Ingredients
FOR THE FALAFEL
500 g chickpeas (hydrated & drained)
100 g sunflower seeds (toasted & ground)
25 g black sesame seeds (toasted)
100 g chopped red onion
50 g chopped garlic
10 g powdered cumin
5 g powdered coriander seeds
2 g powdered cinnamon
4 g flaked pepper (perhaps Calabrian pepper)
5 g powdered turmeric
5 g salt
50 g chopped parsley
10 ml oil
FOR THE BABA GHANOUSH
350 g roasted aubergine (roasted until tender – 15 min/300ºC + 1 hr/180ºC)
50 g tahini or black sesame paste
20 ml fresh lemon juice
10 ml oil
10 g diced garlic
5 g smoked paprika
2 g chopped parsley
FOR THE PICKLES
1 medium cucumber (200 g approx.)
250 ml rice vinegar
40 g coconut sugar
30 g salt
5 g mustard seeds (lightly toasted to trigger hints of flavour)
4 whole dry chilli peppers
FOR THE DISH (INDIVIDUAL)
1 unit falafel: deep-fried (drain excess oil after frying)
2 pieces pita bread cut using the ring mould to the same diameter as the falafel
1 iceberg lettuce leaf cut using the ring mould to the same diameter as the falafel
1 thin slice red onion
1 thin slice tomato (similar size to the diameter of the falafel if possible)
1 slice pickle
1 Padrón pepper
10 g baba ghanoush
bamboo toothpicks to assemble the sandwich.
For the falafel
Put the chickpeas through a food processor until a thick cassava flour mixture is obtained; place the contents in a bowl/mixer; add in the other ingredients and stir until smooth; make 50 g portions per person.
Use a small metal ring mould to form compact disc shapes (like mini-hamburgers); can be frozen if not to be eaten immediately.
For the baba ghanoush
Put all the ingredients in a mixer and process at half speed. Season if necessary. Sieve the end product through a strainer to remove excess fibre.
Set aside and consume within 5 days.
For the pickles
Start by thinly slicing the cucumber; place the slices on a tray and season with 10 g salt; mix and leave to stand for 2 minutes; repeatedly immerse the cucumber in an ice water bath until excess salt is removed; drain the water and place the cucumber on kitchen roll to absorb the excess water; set aside.
Put vinegar, sugar and the remaining salt into a pan; heat the liquid to boiling point; meanwhile, place the cucumber slices in a bowl with the chillies, mustard seeds and black sesame.
Once the liquid reaches boiling point, pour over the cucumber and cover with non-stick paper, placing a weight over the solids to keep them immersed in the liquid.
Leave to cool naturally; once cold, the pickles can be put into a glass container and kept in the fridge for months.
For the dish (individual):
Form the sandwiches as follows: pita bread base, falafel, baba ghanoush, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, pita bread to close; put the toothpick through the pepper to hold it to the top of the sandwich.
