Vegetarian Falafels

Photo: flickr user kalidoskopika

Ingredients

cup bulgur wheat

2 cups coarsely crumbled stale whole-wheat bread

1 can garbanzo beans (16 oz) drained and

rinsed

1 lrg lemon juiced

2 lrgs garlic clove finely chopped

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped

teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed

teaspoon ground cumin

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

cup scallions finely chopped

teaspoon salt

Vegetable oil for frying

4 rounds pita bread warmed and halved

2 tomatoes sliced

1 cucumber julienned

1 bell pepper thinly sliced

3 scallions shredded

1 cup lettuce loosely packed finely shredded

cup tahini or yoghurt sauce

Preparation

Makes about thirty 1-inch balls

In a bowl, cover the bulgur with cold water and allow to soak for 30 minutes. while the bulgur is soaking, put the bread in another bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 15 minutes. Drain the bread in a colander, squeezing out the excess moisture. Drain the bulgur well through a fine sieve. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, combine the garbanzos, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, pepper flakes, cumin, black pepper and scallions. Process with an off-on motion until the mixture is finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Stir in the bulgur and bread

Heat 1 inch of oil in a heavy 12 inch skillet over medium high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the patties to the pan without crowding and fry for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown all over. As the patties brown, transfer to paper towels to drain and keep warm while frying the remainder. To serve, tuck 3-4 balls or patties in each pita half. Add several slices of tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper, and a sprinkling of scallions and lettuce. Drizzle with the tahini and

NOTES : These are Delicious for Dinner with Hummus and Tabouli Salad.

Healthy and Fairly Low Fat.

The red pepper flakes gives this Middle Eastern Favorite a slow burn...a perfect partner for garlic-yogurt sauce or tahini.