Falafel Sliders with Pickled Red Slaw and Sriracha

Summer + Easy Dinners = Happy Days! While the ingredient list for these falafel sliders may look a little daunting, it is actually a relative breeze to whip up for a flavorsome and fresh dinner that the whole family can enjoy. Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, it’s nice to have a break from the usual meaty BBQ flavours that frequently take centre-stage over the summer months! You can add store-bought babaganoush to these babies if you want a little something extra, but otherwise, these are simply lovely as they are!

Nutrition Bite: Chickpeas – This popular legume is high in protein and makes an excellent replacement for meat in many vegetarian and vegan dishes. Chickpeas have a low glycemic index. This means your body absorbs and digests them slowly, which can help control blood sugar, and keep you feeling full for longer!

Falafel Ingredients:

2 cans of chickpeas, rinse and drained
1/4 red onion, roughly diced
½ cup of fresh parsley
½ cup of fresh coriander
4 teaspoons of garlic paste
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup rice bran oil for frying

Pickled Red Slaw Ingredients:

3 cups of thinly shredded red cabbage
3 teaspoons of red wine vinegar
Sea salt and pepper

Other Ingredients:

1 cup of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon of lime juice
¾ cup of fresh coriander leaves
Small wholemeal or sourdough slider buns
Directions:

1. Prepare the slaw first by combining the red cabbage with the wine vinegar in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. To make the falafels, add the chickpeas to a food processor along with the red onion, parsley, coriander, salt, cayenne, garlic and cumin. Process the mixture until it forms a chunky paste.
3. Place the mixture into a bowl and stir in the baking powder. Begin adding flour, 2 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture becomes cohesive enough to form into patties. For best results, refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.
4. To make the sriracha mayo, combine mayonnaise, sriracha sauce and lime juice in a small bowl.
5. When ready to make the falafels, form 2 tablespoons of the chickpea mixture at a time into small patties.
6. Heat oil in a skillet until very hot and shimmering, but not smoking. In batches, cook the falafels on each side until deep golden brown and crispy.
7. To assemble the sliders, put a decent serving of the sriracha mayonnaise on one side of the slider buns. Top with the pickled slaw, a falafel patty and a big handful of coriander, and then place the slider top on. Feel free to add as much mayonnaise as desired, to taste. Otherwise, store the leftovers and use in sandwiches!