Macadamia Falafel

get
200g Macadamia nuts
4 tbsp hulled tahini
1 small onion
several tips of fresh thyme and lemon thyme
4 tbsp erganic wholemeal spelt flour
water

do
Grate the macadamia nuts with a hand grinder into a large bowl. Chop the onion finely and add it. Chop and add the thyme. Add the tahini and mix thoroughly into a thick mass. Press it down firmly with a spoon.
Place the flour on a large plate.
Pour some water into an open bowl.
Use 2 tablespoons or one spoon and 1 clean hand to make the falafels. Wet your hands in the water. Wet the spoon(s). Scoop out one spoonful of the mixture and flatten it with your wet hand or the other wet spoon. Remove from the spoons. It comes off easily because the spoons are wet. Roll the falafel in the flour and leave it on the flour. Repeat with all the mixture wetting the spoon(s) and/or hand each time. Add more flour if necessary. Roll from time to time in the flour.
Fry the falafels in olive oil on a low flame until golden (light brown).
Serve with hummus and tabbouleh

Tip
Some cultures find it unacceptable to use the hands directly with food preparation, others find it essential, albeit if they are clean. In Germany, it is widely held that a lettuce cannot be cut with a knife but must be torn with hands. Some research shows that a cut lettuce releases bitter substances. Knigge asserts (German) that a lettuce should never be cut with a knife.
Image: Ambrosius Bosschaert, Still life, Fruit and Grasshopper, approx. 1635–1640

Hummus and Tabbouleh

GET
Chickpeas
1 cup organic washed chickpeas
3- 6 cloves of garlic
200 g organic hulled tahini
4 lemons, lemon juice (do not use preserved lemon juice!)
cooking water, to make a paste
Olive oil

Tabouleh
1 cup of organic Bulghur
2 bunches of flat (organic) parsley or more
6-7 medium organic ripe tomatoes
3 sprigs of mint, (round leaf for tea)
3-4 cloves of organic garlic
1 lemon
Olive oil

Bread
Flat bread or organic white sesame bread - all toasted

DO
Chickpea Hummus
Soak the chickpeas overnight. Drain, add a lot of fresh water and cook. It can take longer than you think for them to get soft. When they can be squashed between your fingers, they are ready. Drain and keep the cooking water.
Put half of the slightly cooled peas into a large bowl.
Prepare the lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. of olive oil, the garlic and the tahini.
Add half of that mixture to the chickpeas and mash ( I use a puree stick, food processors probably do the trick too) Then add the rest of the chickpeas, the tahini mixture and mash.
Should it be too stiff, add some of the left-over boiling water, as if making a mayonnaise. There should be no chunks, just a smooth cream.
Most people add salt here, I prefer to leave it up to the eaters to add. Flatten in a bowl or two, sprinkle with olive oil. Refrigerate. Should you want to eat it immediately, leave one bowl out, as it tastes much better at room temperature. Before serving, stir, add some parsley or tomato wedges etc to decorate.

Tabbouleh
Soak bulghur in cold water for at least 30 min. Drain well and sprinkle with some lemon juice. Chop the parsley, not too fine. Cut the tomatoes into fine cubes. Cut the mint leaves fine. Mix it all gently together. Mix olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic. Pour over 'salad' and mix.

This ancient Middle Eastern dish is excellent for hot days or picnics. In Lebanon it is served with Falafel, but nut burgers are ok too. Mint tea also goes well with it.

Images:
August Macke, 'In the Bazar' and 'Turkish Cafe', 1914, via Zeno