Cilantro and Green Chile Falafels with Olive Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup garbanzo beans, soaked over night
• 3 tsp garbanzo flour
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 green chile, chopped and seeded
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp coriander
• vegetable oil for frying

Olive Salad

• 3 oz new potatoes, halved
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1/3 cup of seeded black and green olives, halved
• 2 tsp sun dried tomatoes
• 1/3 cup crushed feta cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 parsley bunch, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 lime, juiced
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil

Cooking

Falafels

1. take the garbanzo beans that have been soaking over night and rinse and boil them in hot water for 25 minutes. drain them and ler set aside until cooled down.
2. combine the garbanzo beans and the cilantro, chile, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, garbanzo flour in a food processor to combine to a paste-like consistency. remove from processor onto a plate with a rubber spatula. flatten out mixture on plate and cover with plastic and place in fridge for a few hours (or over night is better).
3. take mixture and shape with falafle scoop (if you don't have one, use a tablespoon and mold a flat rounded mold with your hand and the spoon. heat the vegetable oil in a large high sided frying pan and fry the falafels in batches until golden brown and crisp. remove from oil with a slotted spoon. set aside on a plate with a towel to remove extra oil.

Olive Salad

1. boil the potatoes in water and salt for 15 - 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. drain potatoes and run under cold water and let sit and cool down.
2. in a large bowl add the onion, parsley, sun dried tomatoes, olives, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, cheese, salt pepper. add in the potatoes and pour over the olive oil and lime juice, mix and combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
3. I like to serve these paired with babah ganoush, yogurt and pita bread.

bon appetit