My mother-in-law’s falafel

One of the best parts of marrying into my husband Amar’s family has been an introduction to an entirely new world of food and cuisine I didn’t know before I met him. Thanks to my mother-in-law, I’ve enjoyed countless Gujarati meals since Amar and I met in January 2015. All of the memories I have of weekends spent in New Jersey at my in law’s house involve time spent in the kitchen, particularly while my mother-in-law cooks. Her traditional Indian falafel is always a memorable meal. While we get out all the sauces, chop onions, carrots, and lettuce and start warming the pita in the toaster over, she stands over the stove frying the delicious falafels. We are always fighting over who gets to grab them first. Then, falafel in hand, we assemble our pitas and it’s time to eat. It is so, so good!

Recently, I was craving my mother-in-law’s falafel. I asked her to share her amazing recipe and the accompanying red and white sauces. She shared her notes with me in Whatsapp. Amar, Aadil and I enjoyed the most amazing meal when I whipped up all three last weekend. The next day, Amar said: I wish we had more falafel. After I posted my pictures, a handful of my friends and family asked me for the recipe. With her blessing, I’m sharing the recipe for her falafel. They are made up of three types of lentils that are available in Indian grocery stores. The sauces are made up of ingredients readily available in all grocery stores. You need to make this recipe. The falafels are crispy and crunchy on the outside and perfectly soft and chewy on the inside. This is a meal you will not forget. Pro tip: gently press the falafels with a fork before you stuff them inside your pita topped with red and white sauce. Enjoy! Post your pictures and tag me on Instagram @Kiransood57 when you make them!

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Red sauce, white sauce and perfectly crisp falafels.

Ingredients:

Falafel (Daal vada)

1. One-third a cup of each of the following daals: Mung, urad and green mung daal

2. Ten serrano chilis, roughly chopped (adjust for your spice level)

3. Eight cloves of garlic, peeled

4. Salt to taste

5. One tablespoon sesame seeds

6. Optional: One teaspoon ginger, finely grated. My mother-in-law uses in her recipe, I skipped it for my version.

Red sauce

1. One red bell pepper, diced small

2. One medium tomato, diced

3. Six to eight cloves of garlic

4. One tablespoon crushed red chili flakes

5. Salt to taste

6. Half a teaspoon lal mirch (red chili powder) OPTIONAL if you like it hot, substitute paprika otherwise

White sauce:

1. One cup plain yogurt

2. One tablespoon sesame seeds, grinded in food processor or by hand with mortar and pestle

3. A pinch of salt

4. A pinch of brown sugar

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A look at the batter before shaping into balls and frying

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Falafels after frying

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Assembling our pita

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Finished product!

How to make falafel:

1. Soak all three daals in a bowl of water, covered, overnight or at least eight hours.

2. When you are ready to prepare your falafels, rinse the lentils under running water.

3. Add lentils to blender. I used a Nutribullet.

4. Add serranos and garlic cloves to blender.

5. Roughly blend entire mixture. Add a pinch of salt and one tablespoon sesame seeds and blend again.

6. Pour mixture into a large glass bowl until you are ready to fry.

7. Turn the oil on the heat to medium high. When you think the oil is hot, drop a small pinch of batter to see if it comes up quickly and begins to brown. Gently turn the falafel with a slotted spoon. When golden brown all around, remove from heat and place on a plate with a paper towel. Test the falafel batter for salt and heat.

8. When you drop the falafel into the hot oil, you can use a cookie scoop or two spoons. I used a cookie scoop, it worked really well.

9. Remove falafels and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Pass the first round of crispy falafel to whoever is lucky enough to eat first. Continue frying until all batter is complete.

How to make red sauce:

Blend all ingredients until smooth in a blender. Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to a week.

How to make white sauce:

Whisk all ingredients in a mixing bowl by hand. Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to four days.

Assembly:

Fill lightly toasted pita with falafel, top with red sauce, white sauce and onions, lettuce, or carrots if desired. Enjoy every last bite!