Raw Carrot Falafel with Tangy Tahini Sauce
- Servings : 4
Falafel is one of my favorite foods, but I often find that it's too greasy when prepared conventionally. These falafel, which I first created when I had a ton of pulp left over from making carrot juice, impart all the wonderful flavor of regular falafel, minus the deep frying.
Once you make the falafel, you can use them in pita, pile them into romaine leaves, put them on your salads, or snack on them as they are. And this is one of those recipes where there's little difference between the dehydrator version and the baked version, so no need to fear if you don't have a dehydrator at home!
Ingredients
Falafel
- 1 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups carrot pulp from juicing or 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrot, squeezed firmly between paper towels to remove excess moisture
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 1/4 cup fresh curly parsley
Tangy Tahini Sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar or pure maple syrup
Directions
Falafel:
Step 1
Grind the sesame seeds and sea salt in a food processor until finely ground
Step 2
Add the carrot pulp, garlic, lemon, cumin, if using, and flax, along with 1/3 cup of water. Process until the mixture is smooth.
Step 3
Add the parsley to the processor and pulse to combine.
Step 4
Shape the mixture into twelve small patties. Dehydrate at 115°F for 6 hours, flipping once through. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the falafel for 15 minutes. Flip and cook for another 10 minutes, or until golden brown on both sides.
Tangy Tahini Sauce:
Step 5
Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend and it's ready to serve.
Top the falafel with the Tangy Tahini Sauce and serve.
Notes
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, both dehydrated and baked falafel will keep for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen.
Tahini dressing will keep for a week in the fridge. It can also be served over salads, with raw veggies, and warm grains.
Recipe Source:
Choosing Raw
Reprinted with permission from the publisher,
Da Capo Press.
Photograph © Hannah Kaminsky.
