Herby Falafel with Tahini and Pickled Veg

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 30g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn
• 20g fresh coriander, roughly torn
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 250g red cabbage, finely shredded
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 4 tbsp cold water
• 4 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 warm pitta breads, to serve
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced, to serve
• a pinch of chilli flakes, to serve
• fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, to finish
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and drizzle over 2 tbsp of the olive oil — a hot, oiled tray is what gives the falafel their craggy, fried-feeling base.
2. Combine the shredded red cabbage with the red wine vinegar, caster sugar and a good pinch of salt. Scrunch it with your hands for 30 seconds — bruising the cabbage helps it take the pickle — then set aside. It will turn vivid magenta in 15 minutes.
3. Pat the drained chickpeas thoroughly dry with kitchen paper. Water means steam, and steam means the falafel collapse in the oven — get them properly dry.
4. Tip the chickpeas, garlic, cumin, ground coriander, parsley, fresh coriander, flour and baking powder into a food processor. The cumin and ground coriander go in raw here, but they'll bloom and turn fragrant in the oven's dry heat — raw spices taste dusty, baked spices taste of themselves. Season generously with salt and pepper.
5. Pulse 10–12 times until the mixture is coarse and just coming together — stop before it turns to paste. You want visible flecks of herb and chickpea; that texture is what stops the falafel going gummy. Pinch a bit between your fingers, taste, and adjust the salt now — not at the table.
6. Scoop heaped tablespoons and shape into 16 balls, pressing each one slightly flat. Place on the hot oiled tray with space between each one — don't crowd them or they'll steam instead of crisp — and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil.
7. Bake for 22–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden and firm with a proper crust. They should sound hollow-ish when tapped.
8. Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce. Whisk the tahini with the lemon juice, grated garlic and cold water. It will seize into a thick paste before it loosens — keep going, the water brings it back to a pourable, ribbon-like sauce. The raw garlic is sharp here, so use it sparingly and let the lemon juice mellow it for a minute before tasting. Season with salt, taste again, and loosen with another splash of water if needed.
9. Warm the pitta breads in the oven for the final 3 minutes of the falafel cooking time — just enough to soften, not dry them out.
10. Pile the falafel onto a platter with the pickled cabbage, sliced cucumber and warm pittas alongside. Spoon the tahini sauce generously over the falafel, scatter with torn parsley leaves and a pinch of chilli flakes, and tuck the lemon wedges around the edge for squeezing at the table.