Recipe: Green pea falafel burger

Popular Indian cookbook chef Ritu Dalmia now offers a selection of vegetable yummies. We are bringing you recipes from her latest cookbook, one-a-day

Yesterday we shared with you award-winning chef, restaurateur and bestselling author Ritu Dalmia's recipe of Spinach Tempura with Radish Dipping Sauce.

(You can purchase her books on Rediff Books)

In her new book Diva Green: A Vegetarian Cookbook, Dalmia explores uncommon yet easy-to-prepare, inventive and exciting vegetarian recipes.

From her book, today we bring you the recipe for:

Green pea falafel burger

I just love falafel -- must be a result of my vegetarian upbringing. Years ago when going abroad meant getting to eat a variety of foods, my first stop would always be a Lebanese eatery where I could get a falafel sandwich.

Every Middle Eastern country has its own recipe for these delicious, crispy cakes, but the best falafel I had in my life was at a small cafe at a petrol pump between Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Since we do not get fava beans easily, I make my falafel with chickpeas and green peas, and I must admit I am mighty pleased with the results.

What I love about falafel is that you can make miniature ones and serve them as one-bite appetizers or in a burger for the perfect lunch or wrapped in pita bread as a great snack.

Ingredients

The falafel

300 g chickpeas (Kabuli chana) soaked overnight and skin peeled
300 g shelled peas
1/2 cup parsley, roughly chopped
1 cup coriander, roughly chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp sesame seeds
Salt
Oil for frying

The burger

4 burger buns
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into rounds
2 tbsp Labneh
2 tbsp red chilly sauce
Lettuce leaves

Method

• In food processor, process the peas, chickpeas and onions. Add the coriander and parsley and process it for a couple of minutes.
• Remove the mixture into a clean bowl, and season with salt, paprika, pepper, cumin and cinnamon.
• Add the baking powder and mix it well.
• Let the mixture stand for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan.
• Divide the mixture into balls and flatten them like tikkis with your hand, about 4 inches in diameter.
• Sprinkle some sesame seeds on the falafel and press them with your hands so that the sesame seeds tick to the patty.
• Fry them in hot oil till they are brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain any excess oil on paper towels.
• Slice the burger bun into two, and lightly toast it on a non-stick pan.
• On the bottom half of bun, place a lettuce leaf and 1/2 tbsp of Labneh.
• Top it with the falafel, onion rings and chilly sauce.
• Cover it with the other half of the bun and serve right away.

Excerpted from Diva Green: A Vegetarian Cookbook by Ritu Dalmia with kind permission from Hachette, India, (Rs 699)