Falafel plate with homemade hummus
I've been living in Berlin for several years now, and since moving here, falafel has become a culinary constant in my life. I'm constantly visiting new spots, reviewing them, and recommending them to others.
- For the flatbread:
- 1 (gluten-free) flatbread mix (e.g. from Bauck Mühle)
- 1 packet of dry yeast
- 400 ml lukewarm water
- Sesame
- Black cumin
- For the falafel:
- 1 falafel mix (e.g. from Bauck Mühle)
- 250 ml hot water
- For the sumac onions:
- 2 red or white onions
- 1. The Sumach
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- For the harissa chickpeas:
- 400g canned chickpeas
- Harissa (paste or powder)
- Lemon juice
- olive oil
- Salt
- For the hummus:
- 400g canned chickpeas
- 50 g Tahini
- 1 clove of garlic
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- Lemon juice
- ice cubes
- Salt
- For Zhough:
- 2 Serrano chili peppers
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 25 g Coriander
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin
- 0.5 tsp ground coriander
- 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
- approximately 75 ml olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- For the salad:
- 2 large tomatoes
- Prepare the flatbreads according to the package instructions. Combine the mix with the dry yeast and add lukewarm water. Knead everything into a smooth dough and let it rise, covered, in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Then divide the dough into 4–6 portions and roll or shape them slightly thinner. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or nigella seeds, if desired. Let them rise, covered, for another 30 minutes. Bake the flatbreads in a conventional oven or air fryer at 230°C (top and bottom heat) for about 25 minutes.
- Place the falafel mix in a bowl and pour hot water over it. Mix well and let the mixture soak for about 15 minutes. Then mix the mixture again thoroughly and form it into small balls. Fry these either in a pan with vegetable oil or alternatively bake them in an air fryer at 210°C for about 15 minutes.
- For the sumac onions, peel and halve the onions, then either slice them thinly with a mandoline or cut them with a knife. Massage them with sumac, a little lemon juice, and salt, then set aside to marinate until ready to serve.
- For the crispy chickpeas, first drain the canned chickpeas and rub them dry with a clean tea towel. Then mix with harissa, a little oil, lemon juice, and salt, and season to taste. Either fry briefly in a pan or bake in the oven or air fryer until crispy.
- For the hummus, drain the canned chickpeas. Place them in a blender along with tahini, peeled garlic, ground cumin, and a few ice cubes. Blend for a few minutes until creamy, adding a little water if needed. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, more tahini, and more cumin.
- Tip 1: I got the ice cube tip from Ottolenghi. The ice cubes make the hummus creamier. If you don't have any, you can simply leave them out. Tip 2: For even creamier hummus, you can simmer the chickpeas for about 10 minutes in water seasoned with salt and cumin. This makes the chickpeas softer and intensifies their flavor. You can use the cooking water later and add it while blending until the hummus reaches the desired consistency. Tip 3: You can also dry canned chickpeas with a dish towel so that their skins loosen and can be removed. Admittedly, I rarely have the patience for this, but I wanted to mention it anyway.
- To make zhough, first roughly chop the chilies and remove the seeds if desired. Place the chilies and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped but still slightly chunky. Then add fresh coriander, spices, and a little lemon juice. Continue processing, adding olive oil as you go, until you have a paste. Season to taste with salt and, if needed, more of the spices.
- For the salad, finely dice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Finely chop the fresh parsley and mint. Place everything in a bowl and toss with olive oil. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Serve all components together.
Who exactly is Ottolenghi? If the name doesn't ring a bell: Ottolenghi was born in Jerusalem, moved to London in the late nineties, and initially opened a small delicatessen there with his business partner Sami Tamimi. He now runs several restaurants, but he became famous primarily for his cookbooks, most notably "Jerusalem," which he published together with Tamimi. This has practically made him synonymous with Levantine cuisine.
I'd go so far as to say that EVERYONE has an Ottolenghi cookbook at home, though I know I'm exaggerating. But practically everyone! And I learned to cook some of today's components from and with him, which is why today's recipes are largely based on his. Over time, I've slightly adapted some things to my own taste or simplified others. But let's take a look at the individual components of today's dish.
From falafel and flatbread to hummus and sumac.
Falafel and flatbread: Since you'll soon see how many side dishes I made myself today, I was able to take it easy with the falafel and flatbread, as I used Bauck Mühle's ready-made mixes for both. Their falafel mix consists of 96% chickpeas, is milled in their own mill, and, just like the flatbread mix, is certified gluten-free and of the highest organic quality. Both are incredibly easy to prepare, whether in a pan or in the oven, and also work wonderfully in an air fryer.
Hummus is traditionally made with tahini, garlic, and cumin, but thanks to Ottolenghi, I've probably learned most of my tips and tricks for making it, which you'll all find in the recipe below. Today I made the quick version with canned chickpeas. Of course, you could also soak and cook dried chickpeas beforehand.
Salata baladia is a simple, fresh salad made from tomatoes, cucumber, onion and fresh herbs, which you simply chop up and mix together.
Sumac onions are a fabulous topping that you can prepare for this recipe and then reuse in numerous other dishes if you store them airtight in the refrigerator. Sumac is a spice that has a slightly lemony, tangy, fruity, and somewhat bitter taste. You can find it in Arab markets, but also sometimes in well-stocked supermarkets.
The harissa chickpeas add even more crunch to the plate and make a great topping and a perfect snack. Harissa comes from Tunisia and you can use it as a spice paste or ground spice.
Last but not least, there's Zhough, a Yemeni herb paste that comes in different combinations of ingredients. Chili, fresh coriander, garlic, and various spices are always included, and I absolutely love the fresh, yet spicy little moments it brings.
And if you've worked up an appetite for more, then check out our Falafel Curry with Naan Bread.
2 English cucumbers
1 red onion
