Falafel

Makes 25-30 small patties (serves 4 as a main course)

Adapted from Salwa Abuamsha’s recipe

Falafel are crispy fried chickpea or bean fritters, seasoned with herbs, cumin, and coriander seeds. Salwa serves hers with tahini sauce (1/2 cup tahini, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. minced garlic, and 1/2 – 1 tsp. salt) and tomato-onion salad. Falafel are delicious either on their own or in a pita sandwich. To make good falafel there are four important rules: 1. Don’t use canned or cooked chickpeas. 2. Soak dried chickpeas for at least 24 hours. 3. Process chickpeas until they’re very finely ground and easily hold together when formed into a ball. 4. Let dough rest before shaping it into patties. I like using a 1 Tbsp. scoop (size 60) to shape falafel, but some people prefer larger patties.

1/2 lb. dried chickpeas (1 1/3 cups) or peeled, dried fava beans

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. freshly ground cumin

1 tsp. freshly ground coriander seeds

1/4 tsp. cayenne (ground red pepper)

1 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Soak chickpeas in water for at least 24 hours. Rinse and drain chickpeas; spread out on dishtowel to dry while you prepare remaining ingredients.

Put chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, freshly ground black pepper, baking soda, and baking powder in food processor. Process until chickpeas are thoroughly puréed and ingredients form a very smooth dough; this can take up to 5 minutes of processing (remember to scrape down sides of bowl from time to time).

Let dough rest for 30 – 60 minutes. Scoop out tablespoons of dough; if using a 1 Tbsp. (size 60) scoop, fill scoop with dough, then level off. Form dough into balls and then flatten slightly to form small patties. Let rest for 30 minutes. (Falafel may be made ahead to this point).

Heat oil to 350°F. Fry falafel in four batches, turning them over when half done, until they’re golden brown (if you put too many in pan at one time, the oil’s temperature will drop and falafel won’t cook right). When done, place each batch on paper towels to drain; falafel cooks quickly so watch carefully to make sure they don’t burn. 

Serve immediately.

Read more: http://www.laurieconstantino.com/recipe-index/falafel/#ixzz2VjotiBHh

Reproduced from: http://www.laurieconstantino.com/recipe-index/falafel/

Green Fig (banana) With Cabbage & Saltfish.

I know, I know; you're gonna say this Pete guy is hooked on Caribbean food. Okay, I'm busted. So sue me! 

Anyone who isn't hooked on this awesome cuisine is not firing on all their cylinders! 

If you have never had this wonderful simple dish, you are in for a real sunshine Caribbean treat!

I will let Chris reveal the magic of this simple gorgeous dish for you in his own unique way:

In this recipe we'll use green cooking bananas, which are commonly known as green fig in the Caribbean, to make a wonderful one-pot dish with saltfish (salted fish like cod), cabbage and other flavorful ingredients. To prep the salted fish, you need to soak it in cold water, then place in a pot with water and boil for 25 minutes. Drain, rinse, squeeze dry and shred.

You'll Need...

2 lbs green cooking bananas
pinch black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
2 cups cabbage
2 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon chopped parsely
3/4 cup salt codfish
1 medium tomato 

How To Make Grenadian Oil Down

I'm calling on Chris from Caribbean Pot to show you how to make one of my favourite recipes from the sunny Caribbean island of Grenada. 

Pig tails can be bought in specialist Asian and Caribbean stores, but you can use a small bacon joint in place of the pig tail if you so wish. Oil down is wonderful comfort food.

Breadfruit, green bananas, eddoes and other Caribbean staples are now commonplace in Asian and Caribbean grocery stores.


A hearty one-pot dish, this oil down will surely impress family and friends.

Ingredients:

1 medium breadfruit, cut into 2cm cubes
1 large carrot, diced
2 cups chopped callaloo leaves
2 scallions, finely chopped
4 sprigs thyme
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Saffron 
A generous grind of black pepper 
1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
3 pimento peppers, chopped
2 cups pumpkin, chopped
4 green cooking bananas
2 lbs salted pig tail
3 lbs chicken pieces
3 cups coconut milk
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon chopped parsely
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni
6 eddoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon caribbean green seasoning for the chicken

Notes. 

You can personalize this dish by adding your favorite ground provision like yams, dasheen, cassava etc. 

It is worth the time and money to find a large breadfruit, because oil down is based on this wonderful vegetable, and cannot be authentic without it.

Finnish Apple Pie with Oat Crust: