Well Nourished | Kidney Bean Falafel with a Pea & Cashew Dip

To celebrate Well Curated being stocked in The Detox Kitchen we’re bringing you their recipe for a falafel that is super crispy on the outside and warm, doughy and delicately spiced on the inside. Kidney beans work particularly well when blitzed as they are firmer but not as hard as other legumes, such as chickpeas which can often be too dry and grainy in texture. Paired with a creamy pea and cashew dip, both components can be kept in the fridge for a quick snack or an addition to a salad for a speedy lunch.

Ingredients

For the falafel:

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp ras el hanout (or 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tsp cumin)

150g oats

Salt and pepper

For the pea and cashew dip:

100g frozen peas

100g raw cashews

2 tbsp olive oil

Juice of a lemon

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper

For the vinaigrette:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp date syrup

Salt

2 handfuls fresh rocket

400g cooked quinoa

100g tenderstem broccoli

½ pomegranate, deseeded

1 small handful coriander, chopped

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius. Heat your oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook until translucent and add the garlic. Sauté for a further 2-3 minutes. Once cooked, tip into a food processor with the kidney beans, spices and oats and whizz until the mixture is half smooth, half chunky. Take a heaped tablespoon and roll into balls. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, until crispy. 

2. When the falafel is baking, make your pea and cashew dip. Boil a kettle and pour over the hot water over the peas in a dish. Leave to sit for 5 minutes and then drain and add to a food processor, along with the rest of the ingredients. Blitz until smooth and creamy.

3. Cook your tenderstem broccoli by adding a little oil to the same pan you used for your onion and garlic and sauté for 5-10 minutes on a high heat, making sure to stir the stems so that they don’t stick or burn. You can also add a splash of water to help them along.

4. Lastly, whip up a simple vinaigrette by whisking all the dressing ingredients together until combined.

5. Plate up starting with a handful of rocket and a base of quinoa. Top with the tenderstem broccoli, falafel, a large spoonful of the dip, and then sprinkle the pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander over the top.