Delia's Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Coriander Salad

Delia's Vegetarian Collection is one of the finest cookbooks on my shelf. This is yet another book that could just as easily serve as a coffee table book, for it contains some of the most beautiful photographs of food I've seen. Surprising, I've had this book for a few years now but I've only recently started to give it the attention it deserves. Delia presents over 250 recipes of varying complexity for soups and salads, eggs and cheese, starters, pasta, grains and beans, vegetables and baked treats. Although each and every dish is sure to wow your diners, she also includes a section entitled "Food for Friends" should you have the time and inclination to cook up something extra special, such as Quattro Formaggio Pizza, Wild Mushroom Stroganoff or perhaps a Thick Onion Tart or Savoury Feta Cheesecake.

I've had my eye on this recipe for Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Coriander Salad for quite some time and after tasting it, I can't believe it took me this long to make. I've modified Delia's recipe slightly to suit my spicy tastes. The texture of these little cakes is much like a baked falafel, though the seasonings are quite different. Delia suggests serving the chickpea cakes with brown rice, and I went one step further and served them alongside Mushrooms Paprika with Brown Basmati Rice.

Spiced Chickpea Cakes with Red Onion and Coriander Salad

For the Chickpea Cakes:

1 1/4 dried chickpeas
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds
2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
butter
1 small onion, finely minced
1 large jalapeno pepper, finely minced
2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
2 red chillies, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric
2 handfuls of fresh coriander
3 - 4 tablespoons of yogurt (preferably goat's milk yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup of wholemeal or chickpea flour
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

For the Onion Salad:

1 medium red onion, cut into thin slices
1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
juice from 1 lemon
3 tablespoons of fresh coriander leaves

Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the chickpeas are tender. Drain and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, prepare the salad. In a small bowl, toss together the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Now roast the seeds. In a small frying pan, over medium heat, dry roast the cumin and coriander seeds for a few minutes. Grind them to a powder in a mortar and pestle or electric coffee grinder. Set aside.

Heat a tablespoon or two of butter or oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, chillies and garlic to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes or so, or until the onion begins to lightly brown. Stir in the toasted and ground coriander and cumin, and the turmeric and stir and fry for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside.

Transfer the cooked and drained chickpeas and coriander leaves to a food processor and process until evenly chopped. In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, cooked onion mixture, powdered roasted spices, lemon zest and juice, and 3 - 4 tablespoons of yogurt. Season to taste.

Form into 8 roughly 1/2 inch patties. Coat each patty in a some of the beaten egg and coat with flour. Heat the oil over high heat in a frying pan. When hot, fry the cakes a few batches at a time, roughly a minute per side. Drain on paper towels for a few minutes and serve over an elegant portion of Red Onion Salad, with a dollop of yogurt on the side.

I'm submitting this to the Waiter, there's something in my .. food event, hosted this month by Cook Sister. The theme is pulses.