dirtier fingernails & cleaner minds

Tim bought me a molcajete—a large Mexican mortar & pestle made of “black rock”—for my birthday. Being a food geek, I’ve wanted one to use as an alternative to a blender.

Today, I’m using it to make this falafel recipe:

My Favortie Falafel Recipe:

From Joan Nathan’s The Foods of Israel Today.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4-6 tablespoons flour
• Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
• Chopped tomato for garnish
• Diced onion for garnish
• Diced green bell pepper for garnish
• Tahina sauce
• Pita bread

Preparation:

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.

2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about