Name: Baked falafel & cauliflower tabbouleh, green tahini sauce & charred spring onions
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 400g can chickpeas drained (or 85g dried chickpeas soaked in 500ml cold water overnight, then drained); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; ¼ tsp cayenne pepper; ½ small red onion chopped; 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped; 1 tbsp sesame seeds; ½ tsp baking powder (gluten free if you like); small bunch parsley stalks and leaves separated, leaves chopped; 1 tbsp olive oil plus 1 tsp; ½ small cauliflower cut into florets; ½ small bunch mint leaves chopped; 1 lemon juiced; 6 spring onions kept whole, topped and tailed; handful rocket; ½ small bunch coriander stalks and all; 2 tbsp tahini

Baked falafel & cauliflower tabbouleh, green tahini sauce & charred spring onions served on a plate

400g can chickpeas
drained (or 85g dried chickpeas soaked in 500ml cold water overnight, then drained)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
½ small red onion
chopped
2 garlic cloves
roughly chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
½ tsp baking powder
(gluten free if you like)
small bunch parsley
stalks and leaves separated, leaves chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
plus 1 tsp
½ small cauliflower
cut into florets
½ small bunch mint
leaves chopped
1 lemon
juiced

For the tahini & spring onions

6 spring onions
kept whole, topped and tailed
handful rocket
½ small bunch coriander
stalks and all
2 tbsp tahini

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Tip the chickpeas, ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, cayenne pepper, red onion, 1 garlic clove, sesame seeds, baking powder, parsley stalks and ½ tbsp water into a food processor. Blitz until everything is combined but not mushy – you want the falafel to have some texture, rather than being like hummus. Season to taste, then roll into 18 even-sized balls. Flatten each ball into a disc shape and put them on the baking sheet (the more surface area the crisper they will become). Brush them with ½ tbsp oil. Bake for 20 mins, turning halfway, until golden and crisp.
step 2
Meanwhile, clean out the food processor. Briefly pulse the cauliflower until you have a ‘couscous’ consistency. Mix the cauliflower with the remaining ground spices, ½ tbsp olive oil and seasoning. Tip onto a baking tray and roast for 10–12 mins, stirring occasionally, until slightly toasted. Once cool, mix through the chopped parsley, mint and half the lemon juice. Season to taste.
step 3
Heat the grill to high (this can be done the night before, if you like). Brush the spring onions with 1 tsp oil, season, then grill until soft and charred for around 5 mins, turning halfway.
step 4
Meanwhile, blitz the rocket, coriander, remaining garlic, lemon juice and 1 tbsp water together in a food processor until bright green. Put the tahini in a bowl, then gradually whisk in the herby water until the tahini loosens to a sauce consistency. Season to taste.
step 5
Divide the green tahini and spring onions between the baked falafel and tabbouleh in bowls.