Lentil Falafel with Tahini Cream

Over the past five days, countless taste workshops have been held at the Slow Food Asia Pacific Festival, celebrating the cuisine and traditions of Asia, Oceania and the Middle East.

Here we bring the recipe of an Israeli chef, Nadav Malin, with his twist on the Middle Eastern classic.

Lentils Falafel

Makes 15 falafel balls

½ cup small dried chickpeas

½ cup dried brown lentils

1 small white onion, chopped

½ cup parsley, roughly chopped

¼ cup coriander, roughly chopped

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 small red chili, finely chopped

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/8 tsp baking soda

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Cover lentils and the chickpeas separately in enough water to cover by two. Soak over night.
2. Strain the chickpeas and the lentils rinse well.
3. Mix together with all other ingredients apart from the sesame seeds.
4. Pass the mixture through a meat mincer. If the lentils are not fully minced pass it again. If meat mincer is not available mix it with metallic knife in the food processor on ‘pulse’ option until a sticky mass is achieved.
5. Add the sesame seeds to the mixture and mix it well by hand until it unify to one homogeneous mass.
6. Heat the oil to 150 Celsius degrees, on high to medium heat
7. Roll the mass in 15 small balls and gently place them in the oil, making sure not to crowd. You may have to do several batches. Once they begin to turn brown take remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and leave on a paper towel

Tahini cream

Makes 1 cup

100 ml tahini

1 garlic clove

½ tbsp lemon juice

½ cup ice water

Salt to taste

1. Place tahini, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor
2. While mixing slowly pour the water into the mixture to create an emulsion

Serve immediately with hot lentils