as a foodie, i’m always on the hunt for the best local spots to eat. heck, i even like some big chains. we have, at times, hit the restaurant jack-pot with our assignments. it seems, unfortunately, that so far that we lost the lottery in our most recent location. i’m hoping i’m currently only affected by the feeling we’ve moved to the north pole, and that some delicious (gluten-free!) stomps will miraculously appear when the snow melts. i’ll keep you posted.
for now, at least i have my memories of some awesome eats.
one is from my hometown of houston. my little family of four visited last october. because it had been so long since i’d been in town, i texted my best friend who knows all things houston and all things good food and asked where to go. her recommendation was niko niko’s. as always, she didn’t steer us wrong! (they even note their gluten-free items… massive bonus.)
their falafel was amazing. the kind you think about later and wish you could teleport onto your kitchen table.
this month, the recipe redux has asked us to make patties. (apparently they’re trendy right now, which i wasn’t aware of… but these ladies know.)
i was a little shocked by how quickly these came together. they’re practically a 10-minute meal. perfect crunch on the outside and creamy center. and so crazy delicious… why haven’t i made them before?!
so now, i’m dreaming of houston. all i’m missing is a big square of feta, a ripe tomato, an incredible greek dressing, and a lot less snow.
Falafel with Lemon-Mint Raita
Ingredients
Falafel:
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- 2 tablespoons cilantro
- 2 tablespoons mint
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons kumquat's gluten-free all-purpose flour or other gluten-free all-purpose flour
- Olive oil
Raita:
- 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
To make Falafel:
- Combine all ingredients but olive oil in the container of a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Do not process until mixture forms a paste. Allow mixture to remain slightly chunky.
- Form patties with about 1/3 cup mixture each. Heat enough oil to cover a large skillet (about 1/3 cup). When oil is hot, add patties and cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned.
To make Raita:
- Combine all ingredients. Serve with Falafel.
