Falafel Latkes

Who: Shimon Maman, head chef and owner, Shoo Shoo

Instagram: @ShooShooNolita

Chef Shimon’s Guest-Worthy Recipe: Falafel latkes with pomegranate herb salad and yogurt

Why?

“The falafel latkes are a nod to my childhood, as I spent much of my youth in the Middle East and traveled throughout the area frequently. These latkes, a festive favorite for Hanukkah, are based around Shoo Shoo’s signature falafel. They are gently fried to achieve a crispy exterior, and served with an herb salad as well as yogurt or cashew butter. They’re light, nourishing, and a great dish to enjoy at the holidays.”

Ingredients: 

1 lb dry chickpeas

1 1/4 c rolled oats

2-3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1/2 Tbsp salt

1/2 Tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 pinch chili powder

1/2 c sesame seeds

1/3 c soda water

1/2 c pomegranate seeds

1 small red onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/4 c minced herbs (mint, parsley, etc.)

1/4 tsp salt

1 c plain yogurt

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions:

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover completely with water, leaving several inches of water at the top. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap, then leave to soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse chickpeas.

When you’re ready to cook, soak oats for 20 minutes in plenty of water and strain. In a food processor, combine oats, garlic, onion, and chickpeas. Add spices and mix well by hand before pulsing again to combine. Add the sesame seeds and soda water, then mix well by hand until incorporated. Form the mixture into small patties and flatten down by hand. Fry in vegetable oil until crispy, about four to five minutes per side.

Once the latkes have finished frying, make your salad. Combine pomegranate seeds, red onion, celery stalk, chopped herbs, fresh lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.

Serve latkes with a dollop of yogurt, pomegranate and herb salad, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.