Falafel Wraps

Falafel Wraps in Marathi

Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
4 Pita breads - Click here for the recipe
8 Falafel - Click here for the recipe
1/2 cup Tzatziki Sauce - Click here for the recipe
For salad:
1/2 cup Cucumber, peeled and cut into small dices
1/4 cup Tomato, medium cubes
3 tbsp Red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
1 small green chili, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Lettuce leaves, cut into strips


Method:
1) To make salad, mix all the ingredients given under salad label.
2) Warm the pita breads. Put two falafel on each pita bread. Add 2 to 3 tbsp salad and drizzle some tzatziki sauce.
Prepare a wrap and serve immediately.

Tzatziki Sauce

Tzatziki Sauce in Marathi

Time: 5 to 7 minutes
Makes: 1 cup Sauce (sufficient for 4 persons)

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 and 1/2 cups plain yogurt, (Full fat) (See tip)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill  (or 1 tsp dried dill) (For substitute option see tip below)
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Method:
1) Strain the yogurt for 1 hour to make it slightly thick.
2) Put strained yogurt, garlic cloves, dill, olive oil, lemon juice and salt in the blender. Blend well. Then add cucumber and give a few pulse. Cucumber should be slightly coarse.

Serve with Falafel and Falafel Wraps.

Tips:
1) Traditionally, Tzatziki sauce is made of Greek yogurt (strained yogurt). If its available, then use it directly. Otherwise, use plain yogurt by straining it for an hour.
2) Dill can be substituted with mint leaves.
3) Lemon juice can be substituted with little vinegar.

Falafel

Falafel in Marathi

Time: 35 to 40 minutes
Makes: 8 to 10 medium pieces

Ingredients:
1.5 cups soaked Chickpeas
2 tsp chickpea flour (besan) (tip 1)
3 big Garlic cloves
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 cup Parsley
2 green chilies or 1/2 tsp red chili powder
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
oil for deep frying
Pinch of baking soda

Method:
1) Put the soaked chickpeas in a blender. Add garlic cloves, parsley, green chili, salt and lemon juice. Grind to a coarse mixture. Take it out in a medium bowl. Add baking soda, coriander-cumin powder and besan and mix well. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings.
2) Heat oil into a kadai. Once oil is hot turn the heat down to medium.
3) Take 1.5 tbsp of mixture and make small ball. Gently, leave it in the oil. Deep fry until golden brown.
Serve hot with cucumber sauce (Tzatziki sauce)

Tips:
1) If the falafel is breaking after adding to oil, add a tbsp chickpea flour to the mixture. Mix well and then start making falafel.
2) It is important to fry falafel over medium heat. If you fry them on high heat, it will turn brown quickly. However they will remain uncooked from the inside. Also, flame shouldn't be very low. Falafel may break into small pieces if they stay in the oil for longer.