Falafel burgers with creamy sesame sauce

Ingredients

Falafel burger

• 2 cups (500 mL) drained canned chick peas 
• ¼ cup (50 mL) chopped green onions 
• ¼ cup (50 mL) chopped fresh coriander 
• ¼ cup (50 mL) finely chopped carrots
• ¼ cup (50 mL) bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) water
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) tahini (pureed sesame seeds)
• 2 tsp (10 mL) minced garlic
• ¼ tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper
• 2 tsp (10 mL) vegetable oil

Sauce

• ¼ cup (50 mL) light sour cream
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) tahini
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp (25 mL) water
• 2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
• ½ tsp (2 mL) minced garlic

Instructions

1. Put chick peas, green onions, coriander, carrots, bread crumbs, lemon juice, water, tahini, garlic and black pepper in food processor; pulse on and off until finely chopped. With wet hands, form 8 round patties.
2. In small bowl, whisk together sour cream, tahini, coriander, water, lemon juice and garlic.
3. In a nonstick skillet sprayed with vegetable spray, heat 1 tsp (5 mL) of oil over medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook for 3½ minutes or until golden; turn and cook 3½ minutes longer or until golden and hot inside. Remove from pan.
4. Heat remaining 1 tsp (5 mL) oil and cook remaining patties. Serve alone with sesame sauce or serve in a pita or bun. (Nutrition information does not include pita or bun)

Notes

To accommodate different preferences, you can substitute coriander with dill or parsley and substitute tahini with peanut butter.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Complete Canadian Diabetes Cookbook, Katherine E. Younker, Robert Rose Inc., 2005