Ingredients

For 50 small falafel
Dried chickpeas (not cooked or canned!) 500 g
Extra virgin olive oil 45 ml
Tahina 60 g
Sambal oelek or 3cm fresh chilli pepper 2-3 teaspoons
Sweet paprika 1 heaping teaspoon
Ground cumin 1 heaping teaspoon
Organic lemons 2 zest
Lemon juice 1 and 1/2
Parsley leaves 70 g
Garlic with the cores removed 6 cloves
Salt 5 g
Extra virgin olive oil for cooking (NOT frying) 2-4 tablespoons

For the lemon tahini sauce
Tahina 50 g
Juice of lemon 40 ml
Plain unsweetened soy yoghurt 45 g
Salt q.s.

For the sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes, washed and dried 620 g
Garlic 4 cloves
Extra virgin olive oil 20 ml
Sweet paprika 2 teaspoons
Rosemary 3-4 sprigs
Decor gondola

 

Method

For the falafel
Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water for at least 24 – 48 hours (even up to 3 days if kept in the refrigerator) with 2 pieces of nori seaweed or a scant teaspoon of baking soda.
Change the water when it becomes cloudy and foam forms on the surface. The longer you let the chickpeas soak (recommended 48 – 60 hours), the softer and more easily digestible your falafel will be!

Once the time is up, rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and drain them well.
In a food processor or a powerful blender, blend the chickpeas with the garlic, oil, tahina, lemon zest and juice, parsley, sambal oelek, and the spices. Add the salt and blend until the mixture is compact and smooth.
Cover with saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator to harden. (Recommended). In the meantime, prepare the oven roasted potatoes and the sauce.

After at least an hour, take the mixture out of the refrigerator and prepare the falafel.
Use a spoon to scoop out balls of the mixture and shape them into tiny burgers. The mixture is enough for 50 mini falafel of 22g each.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick pan, add 5-6 falafel and cook at medium heat on both sides for a total of about 4 minutes. They should be golden-brown and not blackened.
Remove them from the pan and put them on paper towels. Repeat for the remaining falafel, adding 1/2 tablespoon of oil only if necessary.

For the sweet potatoes
Preheat the oven to 200°C

Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges.

Line a tin with parchment paper, put in the potatoes, and season with paprika and oil. Add the whole garlic gloves, and sprigs of rosemary. Mix thoroughly using your hands so that you coat the entire surface of the potatoes.

Bake for 35 minutes, turning the potatoes halfway through. (In the meantime, prepare the tahina sauce).
When cooked, take them out of the oven, add salt, and mix them gently with your hands or a wooden spoon.

For the lemon tahini sauce
Pour the tahina sauce into a bowl and add the lemon juice. Mix vigorously until the mixture is very dry and compact. Lemon is an astringent and thickens the sesame butter.

Add lemon until the result is as described. At this point, pour in the yoghurt until you have a smooth but dense cream. * Taste it and add salt to your taste. **

For the DIY toothpicks
Cut out 4-4.5cm rectangles to wrap around the end of the toothpicks / long toothpicks and glue with the glue stick. You can use washi tape as an alternative.

Cut out a triangle to give the decoration the classic flag look. (See the photos in the post).

Garnish your appetizers to your liking.

 

Notes
*Add more or less yoghurt to your taste. As an alternative, you can use plant-based milk as long as it is unsweetened and at room temperature.

**The sauce will be sour and acidic, which is completely normal and what you want because it has to balance the sweet flavour of the potato.

Plating

Serve the falafel while still hot in Samurai gondolas, accompanied by the sweet potatoes, baby spinach or another salad to your liking, and lemon yoghurt tahina sauce. Garnish with the toothpicks / long toothpicks you prepared and have fun!