Meals on a Budget: Chickpea Balls

I am a big fan of food. Can’t live without it really 😉 If you remember, we have a budget for food which means that we apply certain limitations to how much money we spend on it. It doesn’t mean, though, that we compromise on the quality of the food that we eat. Believe it or not, you can cook and eat quite well, without spending a ton of money on it.

I have to admit that I like to cook, but not to stand for hours in the kitchen. That means, that most of the complicated stuff, I leave to Dear Husband, who seems to enjoy it. Around thirty minutes to prepare a meal is normally more or less my limit.

Last week I wanted Falafel, but was a little put off because I never tried to make them so somehow it seemed complicated….. I had a can of pre-cooked chickpeas on hand so instead I made these chickpea ball – tailored especially for cutting-corner-people like myself. Not really falafel but quite good, quite easy to make and quite cheap, with a kind of take-away feel to it that the kids liked.

Here is the recipe if you want to try it for yourself:

Chickpea Balls (About 20 balls)
1 can of chickpeas
2 eggs
A small handful parsley
1 clove of garlic minced
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3-4 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix using a hand blender (or mix it all up in a food processor). The finished product should be a smooth but slightly runny paste.

Warm up some oil on a pan and place spoonfuls of the paste on it. Fry until golden on both sides.
I served with a salad of chopped cucumber and tomatoes, home-baked pita breads (store bought is just fine) and a yogurt dressing.

Cost of the whole thing – dinner for 4 – about 20 Shekels (USD 5).

Bon appetit!