Let’s set up this visual – I’m sitting at my desk last Monday afternoon and a new email arrives in my inbox. It’s from Saucy Mama anoucing the next round of contestants in their sliced contest. To my very pleasant surprise, I made the cut – 10 of us were moving on to the entree round. Easy enough, I use mustard all the time when cooking dinner. I could think of something awesome to make. Then I scrolled down the email to find out our secret ingredient.
BEANS. . . .
Do you know what food I hate most in this world next to my other 3 ‘I won’t touch that’ food group? Yeah, it’s BEANS. I guess I could have cheated and done something with green beans, but I don’t work that way. I go all in, I was going to make this work!
So while complaining to my hubby on gchat about the beans situation he reminded me there was a bean I could tolerate. Garbanzo beans – albeit either mashed up into hummus or deep fried into falafel.
With leftover spinach from my CSA at home, I thought a green falafel was the perfect recipe. A little mustard in the falafel itself for something extra and then the hatch chili in the tahini sauce for a tiny kick. This a great meatless monday meal and despite being frying, a light dish to eat on a hot summer night.
Ingredients
- 2 15oz cans garbanzo beans, drained
- 1/2 pound fresh spinach, tough ends removed
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon Saucy Mama Creamy Garlic Mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Vegetable oil or any other neutral oil for frying
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/3 cup water
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Saucy Mama Hatch Chili Mustard
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pocket pitas, lettuce, Israeli salad or sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and pickles.
Instructions
- In the bowl of your food processor, place the garbanzo beans, spinach, parsley and garlic. Pulse 8-10 times until it is just broken down into a coarse meal. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your food processor. You do not a smooth paste, be careful not to over process.
- Transfer the garbanzo beans to a large bowl and stir in the flour, water, mustard, baking powder, salt, cumin and cayenne until well combined.
- Let chill for 30 minutes to an hour.
- While the falafel batter is chilling, in a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, water, lemon juice, mustard and garlic until it forms a sauce. Cover and chill.
- In a large heavy bottomed pot fill with oil until it reaches 1/4 inch up the sides.
- Heat on medium to medium-low heat until it reaches 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer a good way to test the oil is to drop a small piece of falafel in the oil. If it sizzles right away, you are good to go.
- Form the falafel into golf ball sized patties and fry 3-4 at a time (you don't want to crowd the pot) about 6-7 minutes per side. Flip when each side forms a nice dark brown crust.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle immediately with kosher salt.
- To serve: Fill a pita with lettuce, Israeli salad and falafel. Finish with tahini sauce.
Just a reminder, my giveaway for a 3-pack of Saucy Mama mustard is still going on! You can find all the information by clicking here. Per the entry guidelines, this post is now eligible for sharing as well as the original one.
I love falafels! Perfect week night meal. I think the mustard would give both the falafels and the sauce a nice kick.
Those look yummy. I do love beans, as they are, but I love falafel more!
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I love falafel and really like the idea adding some extra vitamins with the spinach.