Quinoa and Fava Bean Falafel with Lemon

Please make these; they are incredible. They have a delightful crunch from the

quinoa—I used black for the picture—and a fresh quality from the herbs. Do buy the peeled or skinless dried fava beans, or you’ll spend a good 20 minutes slipping soaked beans from their brown skins. Try health food shops and anywhere selling North African food if you can’t find them in the supermarket. 

Quinoa and Fava Bean Falafel with Lemon [Vegan]

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) split, dried fava beans
• 1 1/3 cups (150 g) quinoa
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 plump garlic clove, chopped
• 1 preserved lemon, rind only, chopped
• Handful each of parsley, cilantro and mint leaves
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of baking powder
• 1 quart (1 L) canola oil
• Handful of pea shoots or watercress
• 1 1/4 cups (200 g) fava beans, lightly steamed and double shelled
• 4 tablespoons Roasted Tomato and Pickled Lemon Relish

Preparation

1. The day or night before, cover the dried fava beans with plenty of cold water in a bowl and leave to soak in a cool place for 10 to 24 hours. Drain thoroughly.
2. Put the quinoa in a saucepan, add 1¼ cups (290 ml) of water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Partially cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until no liquid remains in the pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
3. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until just fragrant. Crush roughly and add to a food processor with the soaked beans, red onion, garlic, preserved lemon rind, herbs and cayenne. Blend to make a rough, moldable paste, stopping to scrape down the sides and mix through every now and then and adding the quinoa near the end of blending time. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the baking powder, season generously with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour to make the mixture easier to shape.
4. Form into walnut-sized balls, scooping out spoonfuls and rolling them firmly between your palms. Wet your hands lightly if they stick at all. Have them all ready on a tray.
5. Put the oil in a medium saucepan and heat gently until a scrap of the falafel mixture sizzles gently when dropped into the oil.
6. Deep-fry in batches until golden, keeping a close watch and turning the falafel regularly so that they color evenly. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with paper towels, keeping the fried falafel warm in a low oven.
7. Serve with a little salad of the pea shoots and fresh beans, with spoonfuls of the Roasted Tomato and Pickled Lemon Relish.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/quinoa-and-fava-bean-falafel-with-lemon-vegan/