Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Pita Bread, Pan Fried Falafel and Tahini Sauce: A Mediterranean Platter

While eating out one of our favorite stops is Mediterranean  Restaurant. Me my husband we both love to eat Mediterranean food, specially the Pita bread and the lovely sauce they serve with the platter. He always asked me to make some Mediterranean food for him at home, and I am not sure that I can make something like that. But if you never try, you may always feel the same.



Sunday night means something special at home and with a big dilemma I made up a Mediterranean Platter, PITA BREAD, FALAFEL AND TAHINI with some deshi style tandoori chicken. Everything turned out just awesome. Thanks to Google who helped me to find out some easy and delicious recipe but i change few things in my convinient. We had a wonderful dinner with a glass of French wine.



PITA BREAD:

Ingredients:
1.All-purpose flour: 2 cup.
2.Dry yeast: One table spoon.
3.Sugar: One tea spoon.
4.Salt: ¾ spoon.
5.Olive Oil: One tea spoon.
6.Vegetable oil: One Tea spoon.



Process:

Take half cup of warm water now add the sugar and mix well, then add the dry yeast and mix well. Keep it aside for 10 mints or waits till it rises.

Now take one bowl and pour the flour and salt mix well. Now in the middle add the olive oil and the dry yeast mixture and mix well with a spatula till it become soft dough.

Now knead the dough with your palm in a floury surface still the dough become smooth and soft.

Now keep the dough in a bowl, rub the vegetable oil on it and cover with a plastic sheet and keep this in warm place for 30 mints.

After 30 mints the dough become double in size, now take out the dough and place it in a floury surface and make it flat.

Now with a knife cut it from the middle, then again make some small pieces with dough. Now take each piece and make some round shape balls. Now keep the dough balls in a bowl and cover it with a plastic sheet for 10 mints.


After 10 mints take each ball, make a flat round shape roti with the help of a rolling pin.
Pre heat the oven in 250F.

Place the Pita Breads in an oven proof tray and bake the breads for 5 mints or till they puffed up. Now take out the breads from the oven.



Your Home Made Pita Bread is ready.

FALAFEL:

Ingredients:
1.Chickpeas: 1 cup.
2.One medium sliced onion.
3.Chopped Parsley: A handful.
4.Chopped Coriander: A handful.
5.Few cumin seeds.
6.Pinch of cumin powder, Pinch of coriander powder.
7.One clove garlic.
10.All-purpose flour: one table spoon.
11.Baking powder: 1 tea spoon.
12.Salt as per taste.
13.Sunflower oil for frying.



Process:

Soak the chickpeas overnight, or you can use some canned chickpeas also.

In food processor add the chickpeas, sliced onion, chopped parsley, chopped coriander and garlic and blend till it for 30 seconds.

Now in the food processor add the salt, baking powder, cumin seeds, cumin powder and coriander powder and blend it for 10 seconds.

Now take out the mixture from and add the flour and mix well. Make some flat balls with the mixture and keep them in refrigerator for 30 mints.

Just avoid extra oil I just fry them in a pan with very less oil, but usually you need to deep fry them. Fry till they turn brown all the sides. Remove from pan and soak the extra oil in a paper towel.

Your hot and easy FALAFEL is ready.



TAHINI SAUCE:

Ingredients:
1.Two table spoon sesame seeds paste or Tahini.
2.One table spoon plain yogurt.
3.One clove garlic paste.
4.One tea spoon olive oil.
5.One tea spoon lemon juice.
6.Pinch of salt.
7.Pinch of red chili powder.
8.Pinch of parsley flakes.



Process:

In a bowl whisked together the sesame seeds paste, garlic paste yogurt olive oil. Then add the salt, lemon juice, red chili powder, parsley flakes and mix well nicely.



Now keep this mixture in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before serve. 

So easily you can make a Lebanese Platter for you and your family.


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