My favorite Thanksgiving recipe is falafel, a food from the Middle East. It's my favorite because I dislike eating turkey for Thanksgiving.
To make chickpea falafels, you will need: 1 cup dried chickpeas 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon salt 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper 4 cloves of garlic 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon baking powder 4-6 tablespoons flour Soybean or vegetable oil for frying Chopped tomato for garnish Diced onion for garnish Diced green bell pepper for garnish Tahina sauce Pita bread To prepare: 1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained. 2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed. 3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours. 4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets. 5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water. Recipe from epicurious.com Image from radiogastronomy.com
