Lebanese Falafel Pita Pocket Sandwich

I had made this dish in 2014, but this is an easier version.

Pita bread

Ingredients

2 cups Wheat flour     

1 tsp Salt     

1 tbsp Sugar 

1 tsp Yeast   -

1 tbsp Olive Oil or any other oil          

1 ¼  to 1 ½ cups Warm water    

Instruction

-          Mix the yeast with a little sugar and ½  cup lukewarm water and keep it covered for about 10 minutes till it turns frothy.

-          Take the flour, salt and the remaining sugar in a large bowl. Make a small depression in the middle and pour yeast water in the depression.

-          Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

-          Place the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes till the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic.

-          Smear a large bowl with oil and place the dough in the bowl. Roll the ball of dough around in the bowl so that it has a light coat of oil on all sides. 

-          Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth or cling film and set aside to rise for about 2 hours.

-          Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 5 pieces.

-          Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 6 inches across and evenly thick. Cover with a cloth and leave for 30 minutes.

-          Heat the skillet (medium to high heat), roast each one on both sides and keep aside.

Falafel

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas (Bengal gram) soaked overnight

1 large onion, chopped

1 inch piece of ginger finely cut

Some fresh coriander leaves finely cut

1 Green chilli cut fine

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon refined flour

A pinch of baking soda

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying

 

Instruction

-          Coarsely grind the soaked chickpeas after draining the water. Add all the above ingredients and mix well.

-          Form the mixture into small balls, deep fry, and drain.

 

Salad for filling:

-          Cut 2 cucumbers and 2 tomateso into small pieces. Make a salad dressing with lime juice, olive oil, honey, salt and ground black pepper.

-          Mix the salad dressing with the cut cucumber and tomatoes

Making the sandwich

-          Cut the pita bread into half, split open to accommodate the filling.  Apply Thousand island dressing and coriander leaves chutney on the inner side, slide in the falafel, the salad and cut olives.

-          Enjoy it for lunch, dinner, or as a snack.