Just Falafel gives Traditional Street Food a Modern Makeover
Just Falafel, the largest expanding falafel restaurant group in the world offers a diverse range of fresh, delicious and highly nutritious falafel dishes, rich in colour, texture and taste.
But what is falafel? Pronounced 'fa-LA-fel', falafel is a traditional street food thousands of years old, originating from the Middle East and enjoyed around the world. A great choice for a side dish, main course or snack, falafels are scrumptious round golden-brown croquettes, crispy and crunchy on the outside, warm and moist on the inside.
Made from ground fava beans and chickpeas blended with a range of fragrant spices, falafel is an excellent source of fibre and vegetarian protein, which provide slow-release carbohydrates and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Fiery Jalapeno Hummus*
Add a fiery Mexican twist to this delicious Middle Eastern classic, with this zingy Jalapeño Hummus recipe from Just Falafel. 
If you can't get to one of the Just Falafel restaurants this easy recipe will let you whip one up at home. Perfect for entertaining - enjoy as a dip with toasted pittas, freshly baked falafels or as a tasty side to a full Middle Eastern feast.
Prep Time: 10 minutes - Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 450g canned chickpeas, drained - reserve 50g to sprinkle over the finished hummus
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- ¼ Jar sliced jalapenos
- 4 tbsp. tahini
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt (add more if you wish)
- Juice of 2 lemons
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Procedure
- Place chickpeas, garlic and sea salt into a food processor and blend for 3 minutes.
- Combine the tahini and jalapeños into a food processor and blend for 1 minute.
- Mix the lemon juice and olive oil together in a separate bowl.
- Blitz the ingredients in the food processor, while slowly adding the lemon juice and olive oil into the food processor until blended into a smooth paste. If the mix is too thick add some water while continuing to blend.
- Transfer hummus into a bowl, sprinkle with chickpeas and drizzle with olive oil.
- Enjoy with pitas, warm falafels or as a dip with raw vegetables.
*Recipe created by Gerard Murphy, Consultant Chef at Just Falafel.
Just Falafel has given the much-loved falafel dish a 21st century twist, by creating a delicious range of global falafel flavour fusions. Vegetarian Society approved, their falafels are naturally low in fat, salt and contain no cholesterol. Falafel is also an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin A and C. Just Falafel uses only 100% sunflower oil which is low in saturated fats and sodium as well as being cholesterol free.
"Falafels offer a balanced, nutritious and tasty meal or snack and prove that food-on-the-go doesn't have to be unhealthy. Beans and pulses like chickpeas and fava beans, which are the key ingredients, have so much to offer in terms of nutrition. They provide a combination of protein and slow release carbs which help to keep blood sugar stable and hunger pangs at bay. Naturally low in fat and saturated fat, they are rich in dietary fibre, providing a good variety of vitamins and minerals and just three heaped tablespoons will count as one of your five-a-day servings."
Fiona Hunter, Consultant Nutritionist for Just Falafel
The Middle East's fastest growing brand has seen rapid growth since it opened its first store in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2007, and now has 33 operating stores, 50 locations under development and 800 franchises sold across 17 countries. Five UK restaurants are now open in Monmouth Street, Baker Street, Hammersmith Broadway, Charing Cross Road and East Croydon, and they plan to roll out 200 outlets in total over the next five years.
Check them out at www.justfalafel.com
Twitter - @JustFalafelUK
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