Recipe: Falafel Burgers
Description: Create your own chickpea-based burgers at home, topped with tahini, red onion, cucumbers, tomato and feta.
Ingredients: [{"text": "1 cup (175 grams) dry chickpeas, soaked overnight"}, {"text": "4 green onions, roughly chopped"}, {"text": "3 garlic cloves, smashed"}, {"text": "1 handful cilantro"}, {"text": "1 handful parsley"}, {"text": "1 lemon, zested"}, {"text": "2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon kosher salt"}, {"text": "1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes"}, {"text": "1 teaspoon baking powder"}, {"text": "4 to 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour"}, {"text": "1 1/2 to 2 cups canola oil"}, {"text": "1/4 red onion, thinly sliced"}, {"text": "1/4 cup red or white wine vinegar"}, {"text": "1/2 teaspoon sugar"}, {"text": "Kosher salt"}, {"text": "1/2 cup tahini"}, {"text": "1/4 teaspoon ground cumin"}, {"text": "1 garlic clove, finely minced"}, {"text": "1 lemon, juiced"}, {"text": "4 burger or pita buns"}, {"text": "Sprouts or lettuce"}, {"text": "Sliced cucumbers"}, {"text": "Sliced tomato"}, {"text": "Feta"}]
Instructions: Drain the chickpeas and transfer to the bowl of your food processor. Add the green onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley, lemon zest, cumin, salt and red pepper flakes. Pulse 6 to 8 times until finely chopped and well blended. Sprinkle the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour over the chickpea mixture and pulse 2 to 3 more times to combine. Test the falafel mixture by picking some up and squeezing it into a small ball with your hands. The mixture shouldn’t be too sticky and should just hold together. If the mixture easily falls apart, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of the remaining flour and pulse to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl or container, cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. This allows the starch for the beans to come out, allowing the mixture to hold together while frying.
Meanwhile, prepare the toppings for the burgers. Lightly pickle the red onions by tossing them with the vinegar, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl and set aside for at least 20 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together the tahini, cumin, garlic, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water. Season with salt. If needed, add another tablespoon of water to reach a saucy consistency. Set out the buns, sprouts or lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and feta for assembly.
Once the falafel mixture is chilled, divide it into four pieces and shape into burgers roughly the same size as your buns.
Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F. Fry the falafel burgers until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side, reducing the heat if the burgers are browning too quickly.
Serve the falafel burgers on the buns topped with sprouts or lettuce, cucumbers, tomato, pickled onions, tahini sauce and feta.
