Soy Falafel

Ms*Bindy's Note:

This version of falafel uses tofu rather than garbanzos, making it faster, lighter, and higher in protein. Source is "New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant". This recipe is posted for Zaar World Tour.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 36 small b ...

• 3 (12 ounce) cake tofu , pressed and mashed
• 1 cup onion , finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup fresh parsley , chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons dark sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• ½ cup sesame seed , toasted
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼-½ teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

1. Pressing the tofu will make it firmer and more absorbent. To press, put the tofu between 3 flat plates. Weight the plate with whatever is handy. The sides of the tofu should bulge, but not crack. Let sit for about 30 minutes and then pour off the water.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients.
3. Form into 1-inch balls and bake at 350 F on a greased baking sheet for about 30 minutes.
4. The balls should be golden and a little crusty on the outside, but moist on the inside.

Reviews

[WI Cheesehead]

This may be our taste, but it was too spicy for everyone but me (at least it was flavorful, unlike other tofu dishes!) Used everything but the cayenne. I pressed the tofu, but not sure if I did it right. The balls were quite soft, even after baking for 40 minutes. So, don't base your choice on my review! It may just be us. I also used parchment paper instead of greasing the sheet.

[bluemoon downunder]

I love falafel, and was really curious to try this recipe as I've always made chickpea-based falafel recipes. I also really liked the fact that these were baked rather than fried. Being on unfamiliar territory, I made these falafel exactly to the recipe except for omitting the cayenne pepper (a personal taste preference; I added some freshly ground black pepper instead). And for ease of making, I made them in mini silicon muffin pans. Truly delicious, healthy and really quick to make. We've enjoyed them in sandwiches and with salads. Thank you, Bunny Mom, for posting another wonderful recipe from your Moosewood recipes. I'll be making these again!