I can believe it's not falafel

Chickpea patties

I'm dusting off a favorite recipe for a Middle Eastern(ish) recipe. I was inspired by a falafel recipe on the side of a bag of chickpea flour. I tried it, and it was really, really bad. The fact that I made several substitutions probably didn't help, but chickpea flour is really dry when mixed with water and pan fried (I draw the line at deep frying things, and when I say pan fried it means a spray of cooking spray, or a little oil drizzled in the bottom of a pan. Never a measurable depth of oil). This recipe was also born out of some nostalgia for eating soy based fake meat. I really liked fake chicken, and I liked soy sausage better than the meat stuff. However, I'm supposed to avoid soy now because I take 2 medications that soy interferes with. Sigh. I guess I have to eat real sausage if I'm craving sausage (I don't because the real stuff is too greasy. We won't even talk about how disgusting real hotdogs are in comparison to veggie ones. Even the most adamant meat eaters have to admit there is something fundamentally wrong when the veggie version of a food contains more protein than the meat version of a food). Okay, the I wish I could eat more vegetarian foods rant aside, here is the recipe (more or less) as I make it right now. My apologies to cooks in the Middle East, this is but a distant relative of what you enjoy.

In a food processor with the blade attachment, combine: 
1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained (don't believe the people who tell you to make meringues out of chickpea water - they really do have a beany taste to them when cooked, not to mention a really odd color)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Flavoring agent of choice (choose one of the following)
  • A heaping tablespoon (or two) of Thai Kitchen's Red Curry Paste (they also make green curry paste, I tried it, I hate it, I stick with the red stuff)
  • A scant tablespoon of cumin powder and some dried red chilies (I used 3 1/2)

Process until fairly smooth.
The smoother you make it now, the better the rest of the recipe works. The last ingredient is vital wheat gluten. I started experimenting with canned chickpeas and chickpea flour because the canned peas imparted the moisture to the flour which helped the patties hold their shape. Then I switched to the vital wheat gluten for more protein and the shaping power of gluten.
I use 2 heaping tablespoons which came out to be 30 grams. For reference, the package says that 30 grams is a serving, and a 1/4 cup. take those measurements as you may.
(see how it clumps up better?)
Then I scrape the crumbs out onto a cutting board and knead a few times to get the dough to hold together nicely. Then I shape into chicken nugget size pieces. 
And cook them in a nonstick skillet coated with olive oil cooking spray on medium to medium high heat. I've also baked them in a 350 degree F oven, checking them after 5-7 minutes and flipping them over partway through cooking. They don't brown as much, but they still cook through.




Remember that soup I made in my last post? I'm still making it!

Comments

  1. Poppy CrockerSeptember 22, 2017 at 2:58 PM

    I looooove veggie-based sausages and I will try just about any type (except the ones with fruit in them). I like to experiment not just with store bought ones, but also with making my own. Here's my favorite so far, and you can try it if you want since it's soy free. I based it on some recipe, but I made a lot of changes and don't remember where I got the original, so they're not getting credit.

    I gave measurements, but I tend not to be very careful with them. I tend to heap the measuring spoons a bit for the seasonings, so don't be afraid to go a little heavy on them, or adjust as needed depending on what you like/ have on hand.

    Veggie Italian Sausages
    makes 3

    1 veggie bouillon cube
    1 Tbs. boiling water (heat in microwave)
    2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. oats
    1/2 c. vital wheat gluten
    2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
    3/4 tsp. onion powder
    1/8 tsp. pepper
    1/2 tsp. oregano
    1/2 tsp. ground sage
    1/4 tsp. basil
    generous 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
    1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
    1/8 tsp. smoked salt
    1/4 tsp. Penzey's breakfast sausage seasoning (Skip it if you don't have access.)
    1/2 tsp. ground flax seeds
    1/2 c. water
    1/2 tsp. minced garlic
    1/2 Tbs. canola oil
    1/2 Tbs. soy sauce

    Dissolve the bouillon boiling water and set aside to cool. Put the oatmeal into a blender and pulse to chop coarsely.

    Place the oatmeal into a bowl and add the remaining dry ingredients, wheat gluten through flax seeds, stirring well to distribute the seasonings evenly. Mix the bouillon mixture with the cool water in a large measuring cup or bowl and add the garlic, oil, and soy sauce.

    Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir to mix. Add a little more water if it seems too dry. Knead gently a few times until it all comes together. Divide sausage dough into thirds.

    Place a piece of nonstick aluminum foil on the counter. Take one of the sausage dough balls and shape into a rough tube. Place on foil, fold the bottom edge of the foil over the gluten, and roll up. Roll the tube back and forth, pressing lightly with your hands, to give it an even shape, and then twist the ends closed. Repeat with the remaining gluten to form 3 sausages.

    Place all the sausages in the top of a steamer, cover, and steam for 40 minutes. Remove them from the heat and let cool. (Refrigerating will make them firmer). Use in recipes as-is, or pan-fry lightly to make them firmer and browner for a sandwich.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lace makerSeptember 24, 2017 at 6:19 AM

      I'll have to try those. I wonder how long they would have to steam in a pressure cooker. Thankfully baked goods I have made in it have been pretty forgiving, so this should work even though I don't have a specific time frame.

      Delete
    2. Poppy CrockerSeptember 24, 2017 at 9:00 AM

      They probably wouldn't take too long. If you took them out and they were underdone, you could tell. They'd still seem squishy. The texture changes pretty dramatically, so it's easy to tell if they're cooked. I'm not sure anything too bad would happen if you cooked them too long, unless you burned them.

      Delete
    3. Lace makerSeptember 24, 2017 at 11:48 AM

      Yeah, it's pretty hard to burn something when you're steaming it. I won't steam veggies in the pressure cooker, but tougher items work really well in it.

      Delete

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