Korean Falafel Tacos
I love Korean food and I am a huge fan of tacos, so this combination has been long overdue!
Introducing….
meat-free
vegan-friendly
protein-rich
versatile
…Korean Falafel Tacos!
Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside…AND GREAT WITH A PINT OF COLD BEER.
In this Asian adaptation of falafels, they are baked instead of deep-fried. This keeps them healthy, and saves a ton of time on cleaning up!
This recipe is also incredibly forgiving, so don’t worry too much about sticking to the exact amounts of spices. Add more or less as you wish! If you’re making a smaller batch, you can pan-fry your falafels.
A great meal for young kids, or to pack ahead for tomorrow’s lunch at work! Sans beer of course…
If you want to make these ahead of time, you may freeze them after frying them up. Defrost them and heat them up once ready to eat.
THE RECIPE
SERVES 2-3
Ingredients
4-6 wholemeal tortilla wraps
Falafels
250g chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp gochujang sauce (or miso paste for non-spicy)
½ onion, chopped
2 garlic, chopped
1” ginger, chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves
½ tsp baking powder (optional)
¼ tsp salt
A dash of white pepper
2 tbsp flour
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup sesame seeds (optional)
Sauce
¾ tbsp gochujang paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp corn starch
1.5 tsp sesame oil
Garnish
Purple/white cabbage, shredded
Japanese cucumbers, julienned
Radish, sliced
Kimchi, chopped
Spring onions, sliced
Directions
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Start by blending the falafel mix. In a food processor, add chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger, gochujang sauce, salt, pepper, and blitz until it reaches a finely chopped consistency. It should be able to hold itself together; not too paste-like.
Add in baking powder. If you find the mixture too dry at this point, you may add about 1 tbsp water*.
It's time to start forming the falafels! You may use your hands or a tablespoon, but I like using an ice-cream scoop as it keeps things evenly shaped.
Coat with breadcrumbs and sesame seeds, though this is completely optional! Lay the formed falafels on a baking tray lined with greased baking paper.
Bake the falafels in an oven at 180°C (middle rack), 15min on each side.
While waiting for the falafels to bake, heat a small pot over low heat and add in all ingredients for the sauce, except the sesame oil. Stir constantly until thick (it should nicely coat the back of your spatula/spoon).
Finally drizzle in some sesame oil and leave it to cool.
When the falafels are ready, assemble it all together as you like!
Notes
*If you’re not making the falafels right away, you can keep them in the fridge at this point.
You may find gochujang sauce at your local Asian/Korean supermarket.
Adjust the amount of white pepper used in this recipe according to your desired level of spice – it adds a good amount of heat!
The garnish is completely optional – go with what you like! Greek yoghurt, sour cream, pickled carrots, avocado, shredded cheese, go crazy!
Change things up! Put them in pita bread, throw them in a salad, or serve them simply as they are as a side dish.