Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo or ceci beans, are a cheap and terrific source of protein. Here, they’re smashed and then pan-fried into a quick and easy falafel-like hash to be served with a bright and tangy tabbouleh salad.
The recipe comes courtesy of Purple Carrot, the first exclusively vegan meal-kit delivery service to hit the market. Mark Bittman, a cookbook author and former New York Times columnist, recently signed on as chief innovator and recipe developer, and his no-nonsense, healthful approach to cooking — eat more plants, people! — is a winner. I particularly enjoyed the roasted eggplant, which was seasoned with za’atar, an eastern Mediterranean spice blend of thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. More vegetables? You bet.
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Falafel Hash with Grapefruit-Arugula Tabbouleh
1/4 cup bulgur
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
8 ounces eggplant
1 tablespoon za’atar
15-ounce can chickpeas
1 onion
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
Handful fresh parsley
2 lemons
1/4 cup tahini paste
2 whole-wheat pitas
1 grapefruit
2 ounces baby arugula
Handful fresh mint
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put bulgur, 1/2 cup water and pinch of salt in small pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let seep. Check for doneness in 15 minutes; water should be absorbed.
Grease a rimmed pan with 1 tablespoon oil. Rinse and trim eggplant, then slice into 4-inch-long sticks. Spread out on pan, sprinkle with za’atar and salt and roast, turning once, until they’re brown, 20 to 30 minutes.
Make falafel: Put 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drain and rinse chickpeas; add to skillet. Trim, peel and chop onion. Add to pan along with cumin, coriander, baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add chopped garlic and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir mixture, then crush about half the chickpeas with fork or masher. Cook, undisturbed, until bottom is crisp and brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
Make tabbouleh: Rinse, trim and dry parsley, then chop leaves. Rinse and halve lemons. Add parsley and juice of 1 lemon to chickpea mixture, stir, and taste and adjust seasoning. Whisk together tahini, juice of 1/2 lemon, 2 tablespoons water and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in small bowl and let sit. Wrap pitas in foil and warm in oven, 5 to 10 minutes.
Transfer cooked bulgur to large mixing bowl. Rinse and peel grapefruit, cut flesh from core and chop it, removing any seeds. Rinse, dry and chop arugula as finely as you like. Rinse and dry mint; strip leaves from stems and chop them. Add grapefruit, arugula, mint, juice of 1/2 lemon, remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to bowl. Toss well, and taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve tabbouleh with falafel hash and eggplant alongside; pass pitas and tahini sauce at the table. Serves: 2 to 3.
Adapted from a recipy by Purple Carrot.
