Do you have vegans or vegetarians on your guest list over the holidays? Don’t fret. These delicious pea falafels are all you need to whip up an unforgettable spread. Be sure to make extra, though, as meat eaters will want to tuck in.
Recipe and styling by Claire Ferrandi Photograph by Dylan Swart
Pea falafels with charred sugar snap peas and hummus
Ingredients
FALAFELS
- 300g frozen peas + extra, to scatter
- 50g chickpea flour
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 60g white sesame seeds
- canola/olive oil, to fry
- 200g sugar snap peas
- 1 x 360g tub store-bought hummus
- baby basil leaves, to garnish
Instructions
For the falafels, combine the frozen peas, chickpea flour, smoked paprika, ground coriander, ground cumin and turmeric in a bowl. Use a handheld blender/potato masher to slightly mash the ingredients together (the mixture should still be chunky). Set aside.
Toast ½ of the sesame seeds in a dry pan over high heat, tossing continuously until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the toasted sesame seeds to the falafel mixture. Mix until incorporated well. Use a tablespoon to scoop dollops of the mixture. Roll each spoonful between the palms of your hands to form a ball. Repeat until all of the mixture has been used.
Roll the balls in the remaining ½ of the sesame seeds. Set aside.
Heat a few glugs of canola/olive oil in a medium pan and shallow-fry the falafels until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a separate pan, heat a glug of canola/olive oil over high heat. Add the sugar snap peas and frozen peas, and flash-fry until charred. Remove from heat and set aside.
To serve, spread the hummus in a platter and top with the falafels and charred sugar snap peas and peas. Garnish with the baby basil leaves.
Imka Webb is a freelance digital marketing expert and the digital editor of Food & Home Entertaining magazine. www.imkawebb.com
