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KITCHEN NOTES: Admittedly, falafel requires extra time, namely soaking dried chickpeas for at least 8 hours (canned chickpeas are simply too soft), so plan accordingly. I’ve had good results with shaping the patties a day in advance and frying to order; and the cooked patties make excellent leftovers.

Tabbouleh details can be found on page 88.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried chickpeas

1½ cups onion, chopped finely

(not quite 1 large onion)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup fresh cilantro or parsley,

or ¼ cup each, chopped

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

⅛teaspoon cayenne

1½ teaspoons saltIt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ to ½ cup olive oil

Optional fixins: 1 cucumber,

peeled and cut into thin

rounds; thinly sliced red onion,

radishes, or tomatoes; your

favorite hot sauce

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

Cover the chickpeas with water and soak for at least 8 hours at room temperature. (If your kitchen is very warm, you may want to place in the fridge to minimize chances of fermentation.) Drain and set aside. You will end up with 2 cups of soaked chickpeas.

Using a food processor or heavy-duty blender, pulverize the chickpeas, using the “pulse” function, until the beans just form a paste that sticks together when you squeeze it in your hand. Be careful not to overprocess the chickpeas; too smooth, and the batter will fall apart when cooking.

Add the rest of the ingredients, except the oil, and combine using the “pulse” function. After being pulsed approximately twelve times, the batter will be somewhat grainy and speckled with herbs.

Refrigerate the batter about 1 hour, until firm.

Meanwhile, make the tahini sauce (details follow).

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Remove the batter from the fridge and shape into patties, using a scant ⅓-cup measure. Be careful not to overhandle the batter.

Place the patties on a plate or baking tray and cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Return to the fridge and chill for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

In a shallow 12-inch skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Gently place the patties in the hot oil in small batches (don’t crowd the pan) and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. (If you’re the impatient sort, set a timer and relax. These things don’t like to be fussed with.)

Gently turn onto the second side and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking tray and continue cooking in the oven for 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your fixins and the tahini sauce.

May be served in a pita, on a warmed-up soft hamburger bun, or atop romaine lettuce. Make sure you add plenty of that finger-licking tahini sauce.

Makes 8 patties. Leftover alert: Reheats well for next day’s lunch.

Tabini Sauce

Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini has the look and feel of creamy peanut butter. A staple of Middle East cuisine, it is the star player of this addictive sauce, which takes about 3 minutes to whiz in the food processor. Try it with roasted cauliflower, which is featured on page 204.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup tahini, stirred well before

using

¼ to ½ cup lemon juice

1 to 2 cloves garlic, smashed

1½ teaspoons salt

½ cup water

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:

In a medium-size bowl or a food processor, mix together all the ingredients and blend until smooth; add extra water if necessary to make a pourable sauce. Keeps in the fridge for a few days.

Makes about 2 cups

OVEN SWEET POTATO FRIES

First things first: These orange oven fries are fab. But I must warn you: If you’re looking for the equivalent crispiness of potato fries, move on. Sweet potatoes will never win the crispy contest, and it’s even more of a long shot when they’re “fried” in the oven. They also like to stick to the pan. After several tries, I’ve come up with a few tricks that both eliminate the sticky syndrome and maximize the crispy quotient.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium-size sweet potatoes

(total weight: 24 to 32 ounces)

¼ to ½ cup cornstarch

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)

1 teaspoon