Ingredients
50g (2oz/scant ½ cup) ground raw flax seeds
50g (2oz) raw sesame seeds
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into small dice
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
150g (5oz/1 cup) pistachios
125g (4oz/generous ¾ cup) raw almonds
150g (5oz/scant 1 cup) raw sunflower seeds, soaked for 30 minutes and drained
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
¾ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Iceberg lettuce wraps
Mint yogurt
Tomato salsa
Method
Cooking a variety of seeds, like this, at a very low temperature in the oven protects the essential fats that they provide and ensures that the flavour remains fresh and the taste crunchy.
Preheat the oven to 110°C/225°F/gas mark ¼.
Combine the ground flax seeds and sesame seeds in a bowl and set aside.
Combine the carrots, mushrooms, onion, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a separate bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Place the pistachios, almonds and sunflower seeds in a food processor and process to a crumbly texture. Add the nut mixture to the vegetable mixture, together with the parsley, cumin and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly and season to taste with black pepper.
Form the mixture into balls 3–4cm (1¼–1¾in) in diameter. Roll the falafel balls in the flax- and sesame-seed mix to coat well. Place on a baking tray (cookie sheet) and bake for about 40 minutes, or until crisp on the outside but still moist.
Serve the falafels, lettuce wraps, tomato salsa and mint yogurt in separate bowls. To assemble, place 3 falafels in a lettuce wrap and add a spoonful each of tomato salsa and mint yogurt.
For the Iceburg lettuce wraps
1 iceberg lettuce
Chop the root off the lettuce and carefully peel away the large outer leaves. Place them in a large bowl of cold water until you are ready to serve, to keep them crisp and fresh. Pat dry to use.
Mint Yogurt
250g (8oz/scant 1 cup) soya yogurt
25g (1oz) mint leaves
Place the yogurt in a bowl. Just before serving, finely chop the mint and stir into the yogurt (don’t chop before you are ready as the mint will turn black).
Tomato Salsa
400g (13oz) tomatoes, finely diced
75g (3oz) red onion, finely diced
1 small cucumber, deseeded and finely diced
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
½ garlic clove, grated
2 tbsp olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix gently to combine.
