Falafel and Lemon Tahini Sauce

Serves 8 (48 golf ball-sized falafel). Soak the chick peas overnight in at least 4 cups water. Then cook until very soft, adding more water as needed. (2 to 3 hours on stove top, 45 to 60 minutes in pressure cooker). You'll have 4 cups cooked chick peas. Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a small frying pan. Saute onions and garlic over medium heat. As onions begin to brown, add salt and spices and turn heat off. Drain chick peas well and mash finely (or put through a food mill or use chopping or grating blade of food processor). Add onions, garlic, spices, and tahini to beans. Stir, then add bread crumbs and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. Mix well (your hands work best for this job). The mixture should be somewhat firm; add more flour if needed. Heat about 4 cups oil in a deep saucepan--the oil should be about 2 to 3 inches deep. Roll some of the mix into a ball the size of a golf ball (go smaller rather than bigger), and then dip balls in flour. When oil has heated on medium high heat for approximately 7 minutes, put in 1 ball. The oil should boil and foam around it. If it doesn't foam enough, raise the heat. If there's too much foam boiling over the pan, turn down the heat. If the ball falls apart in the oil, add more flour to the mix. Roll mix into balls once you are certain the mix consistency is good, and dip the remaining balls into flour. You can cook these all up and freeze a portion for another meal. Slice each pita bread in half to form 2 pockets, then stuff each half with 3 hot falafel balls, lettuce leaves, and tomato, onion, cucumber, and green pepper slices. Serve with lots of Lemon Tahini Sauce. Lemon Tahini Sauce 1 1/2 cups tahini 2/3 to 3/4 cup lemon juice 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper 6 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup water 2 Tbs. tamari 1 cup minced fresh parsley Pour tahini into a small to medium-sized mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, spices, and garlic. Stir and add water. Stir well. Add tamari and parsley. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more water. Serve with Falafel, with some sauce on the inside of the pita and some on top. This sauce freezes well. Makes 2 cups