Falafel-Spiced Chickpea Pita Pockets

Falafel is traditionally deep-fried, but here I pressure-cook the chickpeas, then sauté them in a falafel-inspired mix of spices for a much healthier result. The chickpeas come out of the skillet a little crisp, a little chewy, and totally delicious when tucked into pita pockets full of vegetables and creamy tahini dressing. Top the chickpeas with whatever spicy condiment you like best. My favorites are Moroccan harissa (a complex, dark red spice paste) Middle Eastern zhoug (a piquant, bright green cilantro-chile blend), and Indonesian sambal oelek (aka chile paste).

Cuisine

Middle East, Modern

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

more than 2 hours

Diet

Vegetarian

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook

Keywords

6 servings, Coco Morante, contributed, cook 35 min, coriander, cumin, dinner, dried chickpeas, easy, extra-virgin olive oil, falafel recipe, fine sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, harissa, head romaine lettuce, instant pot falafel recipe, instant pot recipe, instant pot vegetarian recipes, main course, middle east, modern, more than 2 hours, onion powder, persian cucumbers, prep 10 hour, pressure cook, pressure cooker recipes, small red onion, tahini dressing, tomatoes, vegetarian, vegetarian recipes, water, whole-wheat pitas

Prep Time

10 hour

Cook Time

35 min

Servings

6 servings

Ingredients

1 cup dried chickpeas
4 cups water
1 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt, divided
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 Persian cucumbers, sliced
1 head romaine lettuce, shredded
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
6 whole-wheat pitas
3/4 cup tahini dressing
Harissa, to taste

Instructions

Combine the chickpeas, water, and 1 teaspoon of salt in the Instant Pot and stir to dissolve the salt. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Bean/Chili, Pressure Cook, or Manual and set the cooking time for 15 minutes at High Pressure. Next, select the Timer or Delay function and set the time delay for 10 to 12 hours. (When the soaking time is complete, the pot will take about 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the cooking program begins.)
When the cooking program ends, let the pressure release for at least 15 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and, wearing heat-resistant mitts, lift out the inner pot and drain the chickpeas in a colander, then transfer them to a medium bowl.
Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil, and all of the cumin, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, remaining salt, and pepper and toss to coat the chickpeas evenly with the oil and spices.
Heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chickpeas are slightly browned and the spices are aromatic and toasted but not burned. Remove from the heat.
Tuck the cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and onion into the pitas, then spoon 1/2 cup of the warm chickpeas into each pocket. Drizzle each filled pita with 2 tablespoons of tahini dressing and with harissa or hot sauce to taste. Serve the pita pockets while the chickpeas are warm. Enjoy!

Notes

Nutrition Information
Per serving (pita, vegetables, chickpeas, and tahini sauce): 363 calories, 15 grams fat,
58 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams fiber, 14 grams protein

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