Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 500 g onions, sliced
- 2 large yellow, red or orange capsicums, seeded and sliced
- 250 g zucchini
- 300 ml vegetable stock, preferably homemade light or rich
- 350 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt
- pepper
- fresh mint sprigs to garnish
- 2 cans chickpeas, about 400 g each, drained and rinsed
- 8 spring onions, chopped
- ½ cup (30 g) chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- ½ telegraph cucumber, grated
- 2⅔ cups (85 g) finely shredded trimmed watercress
- 1¾ cups (85 g) finely shredded rocket
- ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh mint
- grated zest of 1 lime
- 200 g low–fat natural yogurt
Preparation
- First make the falafel.
- Brush a shallow baking dish or tin with a little oil.
- Put the chickpeas in a bowl and use a potato masher to mash them, then mix in the spring onions, parsley, fresh and ground coriander, and seasoning to taste.
- Alternatively, mix the ingredients in a food processor.
- With your hands, shape the mixture into 24 balls slightly larger than walnuts, placing them in the greased dish or tin.
- Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish.
- Add the garlic, onions and capsicums.
- Stir well, then cover and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not browned.
- Stir in the zucchini and stock.
- Bring to the boil, then cover the casserole and transfer it to the oven.
- Place the falafel in the oven at the same time.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the casserole and stir.
- Cover and return it to the oven.
- Use a spoon and fork to turn the falafel, taking care not to break them.
- Cook the casserole and falafel for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the falafel are crisp and golden.
- Meanwhile, to make the yogurt sauce, squeeze the cucumber in handfuls to remove excess moisture.
- Put it into a bowl.
- Stir in the watercress, rocket, mint, lime zest and yogurt.
- Add seasoning to taste and transfer to a serving dish.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Transfer the falafel to a serving dish.
- Taste the casserole for seasoning, garnish with mint sprigs and serve with the falafel and yogurt sauce.