Green lentil falafel kebab with garlic and tahini sauce

My vegetarian version of this Lebanese classic! You can enjoy it rolled up like a kebab or in doner form - like a taco. During my demonstration at Expo Manger Santé, we also served them as bite-sized pieces! I love the flatbread that only requires 2 ingredients. And what about the green lentil falafels - delicious, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! We serve them with a tabbouleh salad and a tahini/garlic sauce.

Flatbread:

Servings: 4 flatbreads

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients :

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached white spelt flour La Milanaise
• ¼ tsp kosher salt

Steps:

1. Combine Greek yogurt, 1 cup flour, and salt in a bowl. Mix with a wooden spoon until a ball of dough forms.

2. Flour your work surface with about 2 tablespoons of flour and transfer the dough to it. Lightly knead the dough with your hands—be careful, it's very sticky, so don't hesitate to add more flour to the surface. Divide the dough into quarters and form equal-sized balls with your hands. Roll out each dough with a rolling pin to a diameter of about 6x6 inches. You want it to be about 3 mm thick.

3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat and cook each flatbread for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown.

4. Set aside and serve with falafel, tabbouleh and sauce.

Green lentil falafel (balls)

Servings: About 20 falafels

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw green lentils La Milanaise
• 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large clove garlic, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp spelt flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• Ground pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Cook the lentils for 10 to 15 minutes, or until slightly firm to the bite.

2. Drain the lentils and place them in a blender. Add all the other ingredients. Blend until smooth. You want to preserve the texture of the lentils, not create a compact paste. If the mixture holds together when pressed with your fingers, it's ready.

3. Using a small ice cream scoop, form the falafels and press lightly to form thick patties. Repeat until all the batter is used up.

4. Transfer to the air fryer basket. Drizzle/spray with olive or avocado oil and cook for 10 minutes at 400F.

Garlic and tahini sauce

Servings: 1 cup

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: None

Ingredients :

• ¼ cup tahini
• ¼ cup water
• ⅓ cup 0 or 2% Greek yogurt
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely grated
• Lemon zest and juice
• Salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Combine the tahini and water in a bowl using a whisk. Add the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest and juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and refrigerate.

Tabbouleh salad

Servings: 2 cups

Preparation: 15 minutes

Cooking: None

Ingredients :

• 2 cups finely chopped curly parsley
• 1 cup finely chopped mint
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers, diced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, cut into 6
• 1 chopped French shallot
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp red wine
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Ground pepper, to taste

Steps:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside in the refrigerator.