This week we cooked falafel—what young chefs like to call “vegan meatballs.” The process is always a mix of fun and culinary discovery. We started by mushing up 2 cans of canned chickpeas with a fork which is always a fun hands-on activity. The smell of chickpeas often brings some skepticism about the final product. But hesitation quickly turns into excitement once we added:

• ¼ cup chopped yellow onion

• 1 clove garlic, smashed

• ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves and stems

• ¼ cup packed parsley leaves and stems

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ¼ teaspoon salt

The pungent aroma of spices and herbs from Egypt adds lots of flavor to the chickpea batter. The highlight of the class is when students get to use it like playdough and roll falafel balls with their hands. After all the balls are perfectly round, they bake in the preheated 450F oven for about 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Students often comment that it “smells like fried chicken”!

As falafel baked, we talked about how chickpeas are packed with protein and complex carbohydrates, making them a healthy and versatile ingredient. Students loved learning that chickpeas can be the main ingredient of a meal. Usually, a simple salad is a perfect side to complement falafel. For the side, students chopped up a few cucumbers and tomatoes with salt and olive oil, practicing basic knife skills along the way.

No falafel is complete without the tahini sauce– a crucial part of the dish. Combining tahini with salt, pepper, cumin, lemon juice, and a bit of water makes an exciting flavorful addition for dipping falafel balls. Bon appetit!

By the end of class, the students had not only made a nutritious, balanced meal but also discovered how fun and creative cooking with chickpeas can be. And as always, the best part was seeing them enjoy the food they didn’t expect to like.