Crispy Falafel & Tahini Bowl

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups cooked white or brown rice
• 1 can (15 oz) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1 whole lemon (juiced)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 whole cucumber, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 whole tomato, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro, chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Set the oven to 400°F and let it heat for 5 minutes while you prep. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.

2. 2

   Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice, about pencil-tip size.

3. 3

   Dice the cucumber by first cutting it lengthwise into quarters, then slicing each quarter crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces.

4. 4

   Dice the tomato by cutting it in half from pole to pole, then cutting each half into 1/2-inch cubes.

5. 5

   Chop the fresh herbs into pieces roughly the size of a pinhead, discarding any thick stems.

6. 6

   Pour the drained chickpeas into a food processor and pulse 8–10 times until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized chunks remaining (do not over-blend into a paste).

7. 7

   Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl and add the minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

8. 8

   Stir with a fork until evenly mixed, about 30 seconds.

9. 9

   Scoop the mixture into 8 balls roughly the size of walnuts and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart.

10. 10

    Bake at 400°F for 12–15 minutes until the surface turns golden brown and feels firm when you press gently, checking at 12 minutes.

11. 11

    Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, minced garlic (reserve 1/4 teaspoon from step 7 for sauce), and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth and pourable, about 45 seconds.

12. 12

    Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper, then taste and adjust salt if needed.

13. 13

    Divide the warm rice evenly between two bowls, making a bed roughly 1 inch thick that covers the bottom.

14. 14

    Arrange the warm falafel balls in a small cluster in the center of each rice bed.

15. 15

    Scatter the diced cucumber and tomato on either side of the falafel, leaving the center visible.

16. 16

    Drizzle the tahini sauce over the falafel and rice in a thin zigzag pattern, using roughly half the sauce per bowl.

17. 17

    Sprinkle the chopped fresh herbs over the top as a final garnish.

Tools you’ll need

• oven
• baking sheet
• parchment paper or oil
• food processor
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small bowl
• whisk
• fork
• measuring spoons

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