3/4cupplain yogurt(use vegan alternative for vegan version)
2tablespoonslemon juice
1/4teaspoonsalt
black pepper, to taste
To Serve
olives
fresh cilantro and parsley
chopped cucumber
cherry tomatoes
Hummus
Instructions
The Night Before
Soak the chickpeas and rice in separate bowls.
Prepare the pickled veggies by thinly slicing the onion and cutting the turnip into match sticks. Place the prepared veggies into two separate jars with 1/2 teaspoon of peppercorns in each. Bring the water and maple syrup to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once simmering, remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Pour the vinegar mixture over the veggies until covered. Seal the jars and place in the fridge to pickle overnight.
Rice
Drain and rinse the rice. Add the oil to a large pot and add the rice. Gently fry for a minute or two and then add the vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 25 minutes or until all the broth has been absorbed.
Falafels
While the rice is cooking, drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Place all of the falafel ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse about 80 times, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Measure 3 tablespoons of the falafel mix, then use your hands to form into a patty. Repeat this process with the remainder of the falafel mix.
Heat about an inch or so of oil in a deep frying pan. I like to use my cast iron pan for this. Once the oil is simmering, add about 4-5 falafels to the pan (depending on the size of your pan). Fry until golden brown on all sides, flipping after about 3-4 minutes.
Remove the patties from the oil and place on a plate with paper towel to soak up the excess oil.
Garlic Sauce
Add all the sauce ingredients to a high speed blender and blend on high until completely smooth. Set aside until ready to serve.
Extra sauce will keep in an air-tight jar in the fridge for a week.
To Serve
Serve your falafels with rice, pickled veggies, chopped cucumber, olives, cherry tomatoes, fresh herbs, hummus and garlic sauce. These are my favourite toppings, but you can change it up to your liking :)