Falafel Sandwich

I love food so I love to dine at fine restaurants.  I enjoy being served on white linen and I savor a fine cup of coffee and dessert.  But there is one exception:  I love to go to a certain fast food restaurant around the corner to eat a falafel sandwich.

I also enjoy Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and Parsley Salad with Tahini and Spicy Garlic Sauce. Because of my culinary curiosity, I always come home to my kitchen and make these things with my selected ingredients.

My family is my fan club. My friends and my cousins favor falafel over any food item from India.

I am sharing my recipe with you. I don't know if it can be called authentic or not, but I enjoy it every time I make it.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: Approximately 1 Hour
Serves: 4-5

Falafel Patties or Balls

Ingredients:

2    Cups Lentils 1    Cup Chickpeas, dried not canned 1    Head Lettuce, washed & chopped (can be mixed with romaine for nutritional value) 1    Bunch Parsley 1-3 Green Chili Pepper or Jalapeño 1    Small Fresh Ginger 4-5 Cloves Garlic, peeled 1    Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Salt to Taste 1    Tsp Cumin Seeds 1    Tsp Coriander Seeds

How to Prepare:

1. Wash lentil and chickpeas very thoroughly and check for stones if any.
2. Soak lentil and chickpeas for at least for three hours in warm water.
3. Cut and chop parsley, green chili, ginger and fresh garlic.
4. Add salt, cumin and coriander seeds and red pepper flakes.
5. Grind all of the ingredients together and make a batter.
6. Heat the oil on medium heat in a frying pan.
7. Make small balls from batter and drop them with a teaspoon to fry them in hot oil.
8. Falafel patties are ready for the sandwich.  

Sauce recipes below:

Green Tahini Sauce

Ingredients:

1    Bunch Cilantro, washed & chopped 2    TBsp Sesame Seeds Salt to taste 1    Cup Cucumber, chopped garden or seedless 1    Small Ginger & Chili (to own taste) 1    Cup Sour Cream or Drained Yogurt or Garlic Cucumber Dressing with Buttermilk (from store) 1    Tsp Cumin Seeds 3-5 Cloves Garlic

Blend all ingredients together and green sauce is ready for Falafel sandwich.

Red Sauce

Ingredients:

4-5	Cloves	Fresh Peeled Garlic
1		Red Hot Chili or Red Bell Pepper (for mild taste)
		Salt to taste
10	Oz.	Tomato Sauce Can
2	TBsp	Red Pepper Flakes
1	TBsp	Lemon Juice
2	TBsp	Ketchup

Blend all ingredients together and red spicy or mild sauce is ready for you.

Tips:

• Pocket pitas are very tasty. There are a variety of pocket pitas available.  Plain pitas also taste very good.  I toast them in the toaster or warm them in a toaster oven at 200º till it puffs up.
• Usually I mix two different kind of lettuce: Romaine and head lettuce. Washed and chopped.
• 3-4 washed and cubed tomatoes to top it off.

I am pretty sure you will enjoy this dish over and over. It is bit time consuming but it's all worth it.

Tomato Sandwich

This sandwich is quick fix for my mid-day hunger.  It is easy to make. I get very good use out of leftover bread and cheese.

Cooking Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1		Loaf of Sourdough Bread
		Fresh Basil Leaves, washed
2	Medium	Tomatoes, sliced
		Salt
		Black Pepper
		Oregano
		Butter (optional)
		Pizza Sauce
		Jalapeño Pepper slices (optional
		Gardiner Pickle
		Grated Mozzarella Cheese

How to Prepare:

1. Cut a slice of Sourdough from the loaf.
2. Apply butter then pizza sauce on top of it.
3. Stack tomatoes, basil leaves, jalapeño, pickle slices, and top it off with cheese.
4. Sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano on to of the cheese.
5. Toast in a toaster oven on 200 degrees until cheese melts. 
6. It may take up to 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Wow, ready to eat. Enjoy!