Beet Falafel/ Beetroot Falafel

4 Hours. Includes soaking time

Serves 6 People

Author: Rajni Ram

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Falafel is a Middle Eastern fast food, which is made with Chickpeas, and spices. That’s the traditional way. However, there are a lot of add ins possible. In the current recipe I have added Beetroot to soaked chickpeas and ground it with spices.

What I like about this snack though, other than the add ins is that, it can be deep fried, shallow fried or even baked. It tastes as good, in any of these methods.

I first had this snack a couple of years ago at a party in a restautant, and have loved it ever since. Traditionally a cucumber salad is served with Falafel, but I ususally mix and match it with an Indian chutney(coming up in my next post), and a cucmber – hung curd- creram cheese dip. This combination works well for the Indian palatte, where we like a little spice in our food.

The Falafels can be shaped as you like and depending on what you are using them for. I mostly use mine in a Burger, to give the Burger a healthy twist. They can also be stuffed in to Pita bread or Tacos.

While you are here is request you to check out other snack recipes on the blog like- Semolina Cheese Balls, Easy Corn Fritters, Pepper vada, Mirapakaya Bajji/Chilli Fritters, Dahi Pohe, and more…

Ingredients

Beetroot 2 small diced
Chickpeas 200 gm (soak them)
Green Chillies 2 big, or as per taste
Garlic 3 cloves
Cumin 1 tsp
Fresh Coriander leaves 1/2 a bunch, finely chopped.
Besan/ Chickpea flour 1/2 cup or less
Oil for shallow frying.

Dice the Beetroot and soak the chickpeas overnight or for 4 hours atleast, and drain the water.
Now to a blender add the beetroot, the soaked chickpeas(after draining water), green chilli, garlic,cumin seeds, salt, and blitz. The blitzed mixture must be grainy, and not smooth like a puree. No water must be used while grinding.
To the mixture,add the chickpea flour/Besan and mix well. To this add the finely chopped coriander leaves and mix. Now shape this mixture into Pattice and shallow fry, a few at a time in a pan. Oil temperature should be medium hot. Serve hot with Hummus, chutney, dip or salad.

Dice the Beetroot and soak the chickpeas overnight or for 4 hours atleast, and drain the water. Now to a blender add the beetroot, the soaked chickpeas(after draining water), green chilli, garlic,cumin seeds, salt, and blitz. The blitzed mixture must be grainy, and not smooth like a puree. No water must be used while grinding. To the mixture,add the chickpea flour/Besan and mix well. To this add the finely chopped coriander leaves and mix. Now shape this mixture into Pattice and shallow fry, a few at a time in a pan. Oil temperature should be medium hot. Serve hot with Hummus, chutney, dip or salad. I served it with some Till/Sesame chutney.

Notes:

Do not be tempted to add more beetroot than required, as then the mixture becomes runny, due tothe juiciness of the beetroot and becomes very messy to handle.
Beetroot can be replaced with Broccoli or cauliflower too.