Falafel Sanwiches

As anyone who has been following my blog knows by now, both my husband and I are big sandwich fans, and any meal is just right for a sandwich of some sort. Recently I tried the "Falafel Sandwiches" (page 117), and were they ever good! I had never had falafel at home until this recipe, and what a difference! No more greasy over-fried garbanzo bean balls for me! In this recipe falafel patties are made from chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, oats and spices, dredged in flour, and pan fried until golden brown. I admit, it is a little difficult to get that "golden brown" effect when "frying" oil-free, but in my non-stick skillet, I still get a bit of browning and that nice crusty edge that is so satisfying. The finished patties are tucked into pita bread (easy to find these whole grain at most markets, but not always oil free) along with lettuce, tomato, and Lemon Tahini Sauce. Delicioius!

Tahini-Lemon Sauce

I made the "Lemon Tahini Sauce" (page 558) specifically for the pita bread Falafel Sandwiches, and it was absolutely the perfect finishing touch for these pocket bread sandwiches. Made from tahini, fresh garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and parsley, the combination of flavors are vibrant and addictive. The recipe calls for 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil. I literally used about 2 drops of oil, probably less than ¼ teaspoon, just to intensify the sesame flavor a little bit. But the tahini already brings the sesame flavor to the mix, so not too much oil is really necessary, in fact, you could probably leave it out altogether and still have an awesome sauce. The tahini I used was quite thin compared to some other brands I've had in the past, but if you are using the thicker paste, the recipe allows for this by having you add a little water to the mixture to thin it down. The recipe suggests using this on any number of things - baked tofu, greens, rice and beans, even cooked noodles - and I plan to try them all!