Spicy Harrisa Chickpea Cakes with Chunky Raita

Here's a super quick, super healthy vegetarian dish perfect if you are stuck in a lunch time rut, like myself! The harrisa paste gives the chickpea cakes a real hot and smoky kick, with the raita being the perfect cooling accompaniment. This can easily be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave and added to the raita salad, if you are office based. But equally this dish is a perfect starter for a dinner party or also throw the cakes in a pitta or flatbread for a wonderful alternative to a sandwich. Whatever the occasion, there is no excuse not to give these babies a go!!

Ingredients

• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tsp of harrisa paste
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 slices of bread, blitz to breadcrumbs

Raita

• 50ml of natural yogurt
• 1 tomato, deseeded and diced
• 1/4 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 5ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp diced red onion

Method

1. Add all the chickpea cake ingredients to a food processor and blitz to a batter style consistency.
2. Wet your hands and shape into small patties (cakes). I got 10 from this recipe, but you can make them smaller for canapes or bigger for burgers.
3. Heat a non stick pan to medium and add a small amount of olive oil.
4. Fry the chickpea cakes for 4 minutes on each side.
5. To make the chunky raita, simply combine all the ingredients and stir well. If you have mint or coriander, this would also work.
6. Enjoy. These can be stored cooled for 2 days in the refrigerator and reheated gently on a pan for for 1 minute in the microwave.