Dhalafel
on Richard Johnson (India), 28/Apr/2010 10:26, 34 days ago
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Theory: Necessity is the mother of invention.Corollary: An empty belly is the mother of all necessity.Ergo: A rumbling tummy is the, er, grandmother of invention.The other day my partner Ashley made a hearty, spicydhal(split-lentil soup/sauce) for lunch. After spending the afternoon in the fridge, by suppertime the leftovers had congealed almost to the consistency of mashed potatoes or mashed garbanzos, at which point--my tummy rumbling--I concocted the following:Dhalafel (alt.sp.Dalafel)1 batch leftover dhal, congealed (liquid drained), formed into balls approximately two inches in diameter;1 small bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped;Whole wheat flour;Vegetable (e.g. sunflower) oil;Salt and pepper to taste;New Lall's green chilli sauceto garnish.Spread flour on a plate. Season dhalafel balls with salt, pepper and coriander, then roll in the flour. (If using just a little oil in a wok, as I did, then flatten the balls a bit so they cook better; if deep frying, never mind.) Fry dhalafel balls in hot oil until golden and crispy on all sides (yet still deliciously mashy on the inside).Serve on a platter, garnished with chopped coriander and green chilli sauce.Option: make dhalafel sandwiches inroti, with fresh sliced tomato and onion, and a dash of fresh-squeezed lime juice.Got other ideas for the mighty dhalafel, let me know.