Broccoli stem falafel bowl
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- plus chilling
- Easy
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 pittas, cut into small triangles
- 50g pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
- pinch of cumin seeds
- pinch of chilli flakes
- 160g baby spinach or other soft green salad leaves
- 200g cooked grains of your choice (we used quinoa)
- 2 carrots, finely shredded or grated
- 2 baby cucumbers, sliced, or 1⁄4 large cucumber, chopped
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
For the broccoli stalk falafel
- 1 raw broccoli stalk (about 100g), quartered lengthways and sliced
- 400g can chickpeas, drained
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin, plus a pinch
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 lemon, zested
- small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped, reserving a few whole leaves to serve
- flavourless oil, for rolling and the baking tray
For the beetroot hummus
- 400g can chickpeas
- 100g cooked beetroot, drained
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil
- squeeze of lemon juice
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil
Method
- STEP 1
First, make the falafel. Put all the ingredients in a food processor, except the oil, and season well. Blitz to a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times until you have a smooth mixture. Lightly oil a dessertspoon and your hands. Scoop a little of the falafel mixture into your hands, then roll into a ball the size of a large cherry tomato. Flatten gently into a disc – the mixture will feel quite soft at this stage. Repeat to make 12 falafel in total, then put on a plate and keep chilled until you’re ready to serve. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.
- STEP 2
To make the hummus, drain the chickpeas, reserving the liquid from the can, then tip into a blender along with a splash of the reserved liquid, the beetroot, garlic, tahini, oil, lemon juice and 1 tsp sea salt. Blitz to a smooth purée, adding more of the reserved chickpea liquid if the purée is too thick. Set aside in the fridge with the falafel. Will keep chilled for up to two days.
- STEP 3
Toss the pitta triangles and pumpkin seeds with the oil, cumin seeds and chilli flakes, then spread out on a baking tray and bake at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 8-10 mins until crisp and toasted. Or, do this in an air-fryer at 200C, tossing the mixture halfway through.
- STEP 4
Line a baking tray with parchment (or cut a piece to fit the basket of your air-fryer), brush the parchment with a little oil and arrange the falafel on the tray. Cook for 12-15 mins, turning halfway through, until crisp and golden. Once cool, the falafel will keep chilled or for up to two days – they will firm up as they cool. Reheat or eat cold.
- STEP 5
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing together. Divide the spinach between four shallow bowls or plates, and top with the grains (reheat these if you like, or serve cold), then the carrots, cucumbers, pitta chips and falafel. Generously spoon the hummus into the bowls, then drizzle over the dressing and sprinkle over the roasted pumpkin seeds and a few whole parsley to serve.
