Can you make raw falafels without dehydrating them?

Can they be made without nuts for those who have allergies or are watching their weight? They certainly can, and you will be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to do! You only need a food processor for this recipe, and everything can be done in 10 mins from start to finish (of course it is better to soak the sundried tomatoes in cold water beforehand, but if you are in a rush you can soak them in hot water too).

Makes 20 falafels

Equipment: processor

Ingredients for the raw vegan falafels:

• 3/4 cup pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 10 sundried tomatoes (soaked)
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. rosemary
• Handful of dill
• Chilli (to taste)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

How to make the falafels

• Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and grind until desired consistency (you don’t want to turn it into a purée).
• Using your hands, make little balls out of the mixture, around the size of a dried apricot, then squish them a little to flatten.
• You may also dehydrate them if you have access to a dehydrator. The smaller they are, the less time it will take, mine take about 2 hours at 42oC. Dehydrating makes them nicer to eat on their own, but won’t make much difference if you’re just planning on putting them inside a wrap.

How to eat the falafels

Falafels can be eaten on their own, with yummy raw sauces, in salads, in wraps, or you can even make zucchini spaghetti and “meatballs”. They are great at replacing nuts for those who still like that bit of “heaviness” or hard texture in your food, and you can change the spices to resemble dishes from other countries (e.g. for a taste of India, add a bit of curry, or replace it with cumin and coriander seeds for a more Lebanese flavour).