Prune and Cumin Falafel with Vegan Labneh and a Pomegranate and Red Onion Salsa

This delicious recipe is full of incredible flavours and will certainly impress anyone who has the treat of enjoying it! Dive in and explore this meal, and you’ll be happy to hear it is healthy, vegan, and textured.

Makes: 4Prep Time: 30 minutes + 6 hours to drain LabnehCook Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

  • 200g quinoa
  • 4 teaspoons bouillon powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 100g California Prunes
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • 25g fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 x 400g tins chickpeas
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten tofu silken
  • 2 tablespoons wholemeal flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for frying
  • 1½ tablespoons tahini
  • juice of ½ lemon
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • Labneh 
  • Ingredients
  • 500g Thick coconut yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • Sweet and Sour Onion Pomegranate Salsa
  • 2 Red onions peeled
  • 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 80g Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Pomegranate
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DIRECTIONS

1. Put the quinoa in a pan, cover with boiling water, add the bouillon powder and simmer for 20 minutes, until soft.
2. Drain and stir in the cinnamon, raisins, almonds and half the parsley.
3. Place the chickpeas, half the garlic, the remaining parsley, cumin and coriander in a food processor and blitz to a paste.
4. Transfer to a bowl, add the onion, eggs and flour, season with salt and pepper and mix well to form a stiff mixture.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6 and line a baking tray with baking
parchment.
6. Shape into small patties and fry in a little olive oil for 2–3 minutes on each side, until starting to turn crispy.
7. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together the tahini, olive oil, remaining garlic and lemon juice, and seasoning with salt and pepper.
9. Serve the falafels with the quinoa and tahini dressing.
     Labneh
1.  Mix the yogurt and salt together and place in the middle of a clean tea towel,
     then sit in a sieve over a bow to grain.
2.  Place in the fridge for 6 hours to drain, then transfer to a container before
     serving with the salsa and falafels
     Sweet and Sour Onion Pomegranate Salsa
1.  Cut the onions down the middle through the root as this helps make sure the
     onion stays together while chopping.
2.  Slice the onions as thinly as possible and place in a non-stick pan on a medium
      heat.
3. Add the salt, sugar and vinegar and cook for 5 minutes or until the liquid has
     reduced to a syrup.
4. Cut the Pomegranate in half and squeeze the outside to crush the chambers of
     the Pomegranate and release the seeds. (If the seeds don’t come out easily, use the
     back of a spoon to knock them out)
5. Mix together and serve

AUTHOR

Peter Sidwell

Peter Sidwell

California Prune Board Ambassador Peter Sidwell, is a chef, baker, TV presenter, author, and innovator of all things food related. Peter has been a chef all his working life and over the years has developed a simple, fresh and innovative way of cooking which focuses on the importance of fine ingredients and technical know-how to ensure the best results. Peter has travelled the world cooking, talking and demonstrating his approach and explaining how and why it works so well for all manner of food offerings. Peter works both with chefs, consumers, food producers and retailers to innovate, create process or refine procurement. Working from his new innovation centre in England's beautiful Lake District, Peter and his team create exciting, attractive and mouth-watering new recipes with digital content, showcasing the delicious flavour and versatility of California Prunes.