Albóndigas de garbanzos (Revithokeftedes)

Ingredientes

• 400g/14 ounces boiled chickpeas (200-250g/ 7-8 ounces raw)
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tsps cumin
• 2 tsps powdered coriander
• 2 tbsps flour
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• Flour for dredging them
• oil for frying
• 200 g yogurt (7 ounces)
• juice of half a lemon
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cold water
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh spearmint finely chopped
• salt

Preparación

1. 1

   Soak the chickpeas into a large bowl filled with water and a pinch of salt for about 6 hours, or overnight. Drain and place them into a large pan, filled with water and boil for 40-60 minutes, until soft. When done, drain them into a colander. Place on some paper towel on a large tray and let them dry out completely for about an hour. It is very important that they dry out completely.

2. 2

   In the meantime, finely chop the onions and garlic. Place a pan into medium heat, add 2 tbsps of olive oil and sauté, until tender.

3. 3

   Use a food processor to mix all the ingredients together. Add the boiled chickpeas, the saute onions and garlic, along with the cumin and coriander and mix. Open the food processor, blend the mixture with a spoon and mix again. Repeat 2-3 times, until all the ingredients are combined. This should take 2-3 minutes.

4. 4

   Into a large bowl, add the chopped parsley, 2 tbsps of flour and the chickpea mixture. Season well with salt and pepper and mix well, squeezing the ingredients with your hands, until combined. If the mixture seems loose and is not holding its shape add a bit more flour and knead them.

5. 5

   Place the mixture in the fridge for about 30 minutes. This will help solidify the mixture and make shaping them easier.

6. 6

   Using a spoon, take a portion of your mixture and shape into balls or flat “burgers”.

7. 7

   Flour them lightly and fry them into a very hot oil, until nicely colored on all sides. Place them on paper towel, to absorb the extra oil. For a healthier version, bake them in preheated oven at 180C for about 25 minutes. Brush the bottom of the baking tray and the top of the balls with some olive oil. Halfway through cooking time, flip the balls and put back in the oven.

8. 8

   To prepare the sauce, add all the ingredients into a bowl and whisk, until all the ingredients are combined and the sauce is smooth and creamy.