This recipe will delight you for sure. It is a spin on the falafels and koftas both. Mixed lentils and nutty Quinoa came together to create a harmonious combination with a hint of herbs and spices. These Falafels are not fried unlike the traditional falafels but made uber healthy using the Appe/Paniyaram/Abelskiever Pan !! Have them just like that or dunk them in a bowl of spicy tomato gravy and serve them Kofta style like here in my today’s recipe ! Read on 🙂
I got the Appe/Abelskiever pan almost a year back and since then it has become one of my ultimate saviors in the kitchen. With such a versatile utensil in the kitchen, it is easy to whip up healthy, scrumptious meals very easily. When i was told about the theme for this week, my mind started wandering in many directions. I had just soaked some lentils a day before (meant for sprouting) which were looking at me for taking an innovative route. Chickpeas gave me the idea for whipping up some falafels and i thought of taking the healthy route all the way by combining a few more lentils into it. The result- super healthy Mixed lentil falafels. Converted them into koftas to enjoy with multi grain rotis. YUM ! These falafel koftas are made healthy with the goodness Red kidney beans, Kala Chana, Chickpeas and Quinoa 🙂
Mixed Lentil Falafel Koftas
Mixed Lentil Falafel Koftas
Recipe
Ingredients for Mixed Lentil Falafels
- 1 cup red kidney beans, soaked and boiled
- 1 cup chickpeas, soaked and boiled
- 2 tablespoons kala chana flour
- 1/2 cup Quinoa cooked in 1 cup water
- pinch of baking soda
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2-3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tsp Oil/ oil spray for frying falafels in Appe pan
Ingredients for Kofta gravy
- 1 tsp oil
- Pinch of Asafoetida
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mango powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped for garnishing
Method
- In a food processor, add in all the ingredients except the oil. Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process till the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. Too pasty and runny will turn this mixture into a mixed lentil hummus which we don’t want for this recipe.
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl and cover with a cling film. Refrigerate this mixture for about an hour. Refrigeration will help the mixture dry up a bit and help in forming the falafel balls out of them.
- Now, remove the mixture from the refrigerator and form balls out of them. Using just a few drops of oil, cook them in the Appe pan till golden brown on all sides. You will be required to turn them from time to time in order to ensure even cooking.
- Repeat with all the mixture and once the falafels are ready, keep aside.
- Now, we will prepare the gravy for the koftas. For that, take a pan. Add in oil, asafoetida and cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Next, add in the onions and fry them till golden brown. Add in chopped tomatoes, ginger, chilies and spices. Add in 2 cups of water. This water may seem a lot but the falafel koftas will soak up the water and swell.
- Let the water come to a boil and after that simmer the flame and place a lid. Let this cook on simmer for about 10 minutes. Adjust spices as required.
- Now, add in the koftas and sprinkle chopped coriander on top. Remove from flame and keep aside. Mixed Lentil falafel Koftas are ready.
Serve it with hot, multi grain chapatis or Whole wheat Naans.
Serving size – 2 koftas with gravy
These Koftas are D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S !! Soft inside and soaked in tangy tomato gravy, falafels got a complete make over. I served these with a size of brown rice and multi grain chapatis and everyone enjoyed his hearty meal. The flavours were a mix of raajma and falafels which worked well in harmony and appe pan gave an edge to this recipe making it so healthy. Try it !
Now, lets look at some of the healthy facts :
Chickpeas – Chickpeas have 269 calories per cup, and are a good source of protein containing about 20 percent in content, which is equivalent to meat. They are an excellent source of dietary fiber. Chickpeas contain vitamins A, C, D, E and K and trace minerals such as copper, zinc and manganese, important for energy-producing enzymes. Chickpeas help prevent elevated blood sugar levels, making them a good choice for diabetics or if you have insulin-resistance or hypoglycemia.
Red Kidney Beans – Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans’ high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.
Quinoa – Quinoa is an edible “superfood” seed which is loaded with protein, fiber, minerals and is gluten free. It has a low GI (Glycemic Idex). GI is a measure of how quickly foods raise blood sugar levels. It is known that eating foods that are high on the glycemic index can stimulate hunger and contribute to obesity and this can be a potential cause for diabetes. Quinoa has a glycemic index of 53, which is considered low
Kala Chana – Each cup of kala chana has 45 grams of carbohydrates, which is about 65 percent of the total caloric content of the legume. Kala chana is especially rich in dietary fiber .A 1-cup serving contains 12 grams of fiber, which is 35 percent of the daily fiber requirement for a man and nearly 43 percent of the fiber recommended each day for a woman. A cup of boiled kala chana contains 269 calories. It has 4 grams of total fat, with less than 1/2 gram of cholesterol-raising saturated fat. Beans are good plant-based sources of protein, and 1 cup of kala chana contains 15 grams of protein, or 30 percent of the daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Doesn’t all this sound exciting !! Try this super healthy recipe soon and let me know how was your experience 🙂 Hop onto this page for more exciting DFT recipes from Divine Spice Box !
Disclaimer
I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.
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Yum! The koftas look delicious.
That’s a great tip about refrigerating the falafel batter! I’ve always wondered what would happen if the chickpeas were cooked and then processed.
Apsara well i have tried that too and that is how i made my first batch of hummus 😛
These falafel Koftas look delicious!
Thank u so very much dear Julie ! <3
Yummy koftas.. great tip 🙂 Looks juicy and delicious.
Thanks a lot Srividhya ! <3
this is packed with deliciousness and nutrition!! love it! Thanks to this venture of ours, the appe pan surely is going to become my favorite too!
So delicious and nutritious!! 🙂
Such a nutritious dish.. wld def try it out
Those mixed lentil koftas look super-delicious and super-healthy! I love the fact that you have managed to incorporate quinoa into it!
Thanks a lot Suchitra !
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