Ingredients

1 can organic chickpeas, rinsed and drained
150 g carrots, grated
1 clove garlic, very finely chopped
75 g dried apricots, very finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
20 g gram flour
grated zest of a lemon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
extra virgin olive oil, for frying

for the whipped feta

125 g Greek Yogurt
180 g feta cheese, crumbled
juice of half a lemon

to garnish

2 tbsp dukkah spice
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

Method

1. Place a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the dukkah spice. Toast for 1-2 minutes or until the dukkah begins to colour and give off an aroma. Remove from the heat and tip on to a cold plate to stop the cooking process. Set to one side.

2. Place the yoghurt and feta in a blender and process to a smooth consistency. Add the lemon juice and process for a further thirty seconds to combine. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This will help to thicken up the whipped feta.

3. Place the chickpeas in a food processor and pulse a few times until they have a coarse, thick consistency, almost forming a paste but still retaining some texture. Tip the chickpeas into a mixing bowl and add the grated carrot, garlic, chilli, apricot, ground cumin, ground coriander, fresh coriander, lemon zest, gram flour and sea salt. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture into 12 equal pieces, each weighing around 40 grams. Fashion each of these pieces into a small ball shape.

4. Pour the olive oil into a frying pan to a depth of 1 cm. Place over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the falafel into the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning every so often, until they are golden brown all over. You will probably need to cook the falafel in batches to avoid crowing the pan. Drain the cooked falafel on kitchen paper.

5. Serve the falafel with the whipped feta, sprinkled with the toasted dukkah and the chopped mint.

http://circusgardener.com