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#250 The Case of Falafels

Tzatziki Sauce
 
1 cup vegan yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
 
Falafels
 
1/2 cup dried chick peas, soaked overnight, drained, rinsed, then patted/spun dry
1/6 cup roughly chopped red onion
1/2 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil (separated)
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/6 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
1/6 cup loosely packed fresh dill
pinch cayenne
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
 
Sandwiches
 
4 pita breads
1-1/3 cups seeded, chopped tomato (or halved/quartered grape tomatoes)
1-1/3 cups chopped cucumber
 
Mix together all the ingredients for the tzatziki sauce. Set aside.
 
Pulse the falafel ingredients, including 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, together in a blender until they're worked into a mixture with a grain to it (not super smooth). Roll tablespoons of this mixture into balls.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, non-stick pan, over medium-high heat. Drop the falafel balls onto the pan and flatten into small pancakes, browning them on the bottom (about 3 min.). Flip and brown the other side.

In the meantime, lay the pita breads flat, one per plate. Spread with the tzatziki sauce, keeping the edges dry.
 
When cooked, line up two falafels down the centre of each pita, starting at least an inch from the bottom. Sprinkle with the chopped tomatoes and cucumber. 

To eat, fold up the bottom edge of each pita then pull/roll the two sides together into a wrap.

Serves 4.

Becki

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