Falafel

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas
1 1/2 onions diced
1 small bunch of parsley
1 long green chili
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 1/2 cups of besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pita pockets
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind the diced onions, parsley, cumin, green chili and baking soda into a paste. Steam the chickpeas with salt in a saucepan until they soften a little, then add to the mixture and grind well. Remove into a bowl. Add red chili powder and besan and mix into a thick batter.
In a nonstick frying pan add an inch of oil. Heat until ready for frying. Drop dollops of falafel batter into the oil and fry evenly until it turns dark brown.
Serve in pita pockets or as a wrap with hummus spread, hot sauce and tahini, lettuce, diced tomatoes and cucumber.

Bread sandwich pakora

Ingredients:
1 loaf white bread

For tomato chutney:
5 big tomatoes
2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek  seeds
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Method:
First grind the tomatoes into a smooth paste without adding water.
In a heavy bottom pan, put 2 tbsp oil and when heated add mustard and fenugreek seeds. Let the mustard pop, then add red chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida and saute. Now add the tomato paste and salt to taste. When the sauce thickens remove from flame and allow to cool.

For cilantro chutney:
1 bunch of cilantro
5 green chilies
1 lemon juiced
Salt to taste
Method:
Grind everything into a smooth paste and keep aside.

For batter:
3 handfuls of besan (chickpea) flour
3/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 handful of rice flour
Salt to taste
Method:
Mix everything together with water into a thick batter.

Now spread the tomato chutney on the inside of the bread slices and margarine on the outside and make sandwiches. Cut into half diagonally. Make similar sandwiches with the cilantro chutney.
In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil for frying. Keep on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, dip the bread sandwich in the besan batter and deep fry.
Serve with coffee or tea.