Crazy, right?
But I had cilantro, and canned chickpeas, and tahini...
So, I processed 1 large can of chickpeas (drained), 1 medium onion (chopped), 5 garlic cloves, a bunch of cilantro, and salt and pepper, until puréed but not smooth.
Then I added a few tablespoons of flour and a teaspoon of baking powder. In 350-375° oil, I fried one ball of the mixture (if it falls apart, don't despair... just add a bit more flour). When the mix was right, I fried 6 balls of the mix at a time, until dark golden brown.
I sprinkled them with salt, and held them in a 350° oven (on a rack over a sheet pan) while I fried the next batch...
I served them atop a plate of shredded lettuce... sprinkled with minced peppers and scallions... and topped it with a sauce made from tahini thinned with water, sweet lime juice, and a splash of sesame oil.
Silly, wonderful meal.
Then, a few days later, I had a crazy idea and decided to give in and experiment.
I sautéed a ton of chopped garlic, added crushed canned tomatoes, salt, pepper, and some ground toasted cumin seeds.
Then I added the crazy part: a few tablespoons of chunky, natural peanut butter (to sorta kinda mimic tahini)! I heated and stirred until the peanut butter was "dissolved," checked for salt, and added a bit of sesame oil and cayenne.
I used this to sauce some farfalle... topped it with a fresh batch of sautéed falafel balls... sprinkled with chives...
And we proceeded to eat a giggle-inducing, wonderfully bizarre, delicious meal.
Proving... If a strange-sounding idea occurs to you... Try it!!!
