To reduce the workload of making chickpea cakes, we have streamlined the procedure from the popular chickpea cakes recipe. Simply blend chickpeas, spices, and seasonings in a food processor to easily create a chickpea cake mixture, then shape it into round cakes and fry until crispy.
The sauce made quickly with yogurt, Middle Eastern tahini, lemon, and mint is a perfect match for the chickpea puree cakes. To make this dish a complete meal, we added a fresh zucchini salad, featuring salty kalamata olives, lemon yogurt, and mint.
Serving size: 4 to 6 people
Note: Niçoise olives can be used as a substitute for kalamata olives. Slice zucchini thinly using a peeler or mandoline.
Yogurt Tahini Sauce:
– 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
– 1/3 cup tahini
– 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
– 1/4 cup water
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Zucchini Salad:
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
– 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
– 2 tablespoons lemon juice
– 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
– 1/2 teaspoon honey
– 3 small zucchinis (6 ounces each), thinly sliced lengthwise
– 2 tablespoons pitted and chopped kalamata olives
Chickpea Cakes:
– 1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and stems
– 1/2 onion, chopped
– 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seed powder
– 1 teaspoon cumin powder
– 1 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 1 large egg
– 2 cans (15 ounces each) chickpeas, rinsed and gently dried
– 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
– 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Yogurt Tahini Sauce:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt. Refrigerate for later use. (The sauce can be made 24 hours in advance).
Zucchini Salad:
In a medium bowl, combine mint, oil, lemon juice, yogurt, and honey, mix well. Add zucchini slices, gently toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with olives, refrigerate in the fridge.
Chickpea Cakes:
1. Put cilantro, onion, coriander seed powder, cumin powder, salt, baking powder, and cayenne pepper in a food processor, blend for 5 seconds. Scrape down any remaining material on the walls of the food processor. Continue blending for about 5 seconds until the mixture is thick like pesto. Add the egg, blend for 5 seconds. Add chickpeas and flour, pulse four times. Scrape down the material on the walls. Continue pulsing until the chickpeas are coarse, the flour is fully mixed, about four more pulses.
2. Spray a baking sheet with oil. Remove the blade from the food processor, divide the mixture into six equal parts (about 1/2 cup each), shape into round cakes about 3 inches in diameter.
3. Place a layer of paper towels on a cutting board. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, add vegetable oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Using a spatula, place the chickpea cakes in the hot pan, fry for 4 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, continue frying for 7 to 9 minutes until the surface is firm and the temperature reaches 185 Fahrenheit (about 85 Celsius). Transfer the chickpea cakes to the cutting board lined with paper towels, cooked side down. Then, flip the chickpea cakes onto a plate, with the cooked side up, serve with the sauce and salad.
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