CHICKPEA TENDERS & WAFFLES
SERVES 4 PORTIONS
FOR THE CHICKPEA TENDERS
2 cans (30 oz., or 850 g) chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp. (30 ml) aquafaba (a.k.a. chickpea brine) reserved
1/2 cup (70 g) diced yellow onion
2 tsp. (5 g) salt-free poultry seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup (60 g) vital wheat gluten
1/3 cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
3 tbsp. (25 g) sesame seeds
1 tsp. onion powder
FOR THE WAFFLES
1 1/4 cups (295 ml) unsweetened non- dairy milk
2 tbsp. (30 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp. (15 g) sunflower oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (130 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (55 g) quick-cooking oats
2 tbsp. (25 g) sugar
2 tsp. (9 g) baking powder
Pinch of salt
FOR THE SPICY SYRUP
1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp. (22.5 ml) hot sauce
NUTRITIONAL VALUES
Calories: 1126kcal
Fat: 18g (1.9g S.Fat)
Carbs: 189.2g
Protein: 57.8g
Sugar: 45.4g
Sodium: 792mg
METHOD
TO MAKE THE CHICKPEA TENDERS
Preheat the oven to 400oF (200oC, or gas mark 6), and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine the chickpeas, reserved aquafaba, yellow onions, poultry seasoning, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. Pulse the mixture until the chickpeas are roughly a quarter of their original size. Sprinkle the vital wheat gluten over the chickpea "dough" and pulse a few times to combine evenly.
Combine the panko crumbs, sesame seeds, and onion powder in a small bowl or plate with high edges. Wet your hand lightly and shape 3-tbsp.-sized (45 g) scoops of the chickpea mixture into "cutlets" or "tender" shapes. Press each tendie gently into the panko mixture until coated, then place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have a total of 12 chickpea tenders. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip and bake for another 12 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden. Begin making the waffles while those are baking.
TO MAKE THE WAFFLES
Preheat a regular waffle maker (not a Belgian waffle maker) and have a blender ready. In the blender pitcher, combine the non-dairy milk, lemon juice, oil, vanilla, flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, and salt in that order. Purée the mixture until it is smooth.
Allow the waffle batter to thicken for 5 minutes before pouring it into your waffle maker. Cook the waffle for about 8 minutes, checking for doneness once most of the steaming has stopped. Repeat until all the waffle batter is gone.
TO MAKE THE SPICY SYRUP
Whisk together the maple syrup and hot sauce in a small bowl or jar until combined.
TO SERVE
Arrange the waffles on four plates and top each with three chickpea tenders. Serve immediately, with the spicy syrup on the side.
In a food processor fitted with an S-blade, combine the chickpeas, reserved aquafaba, yellow onions, poultry seasoning, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika. Pulse the mixture until the chickpeas are roughly a quarter of their original size. Sprinkle the vital wheat gluten over the chickpea "dough" and pulse a few times to combine evenly.
Combine the panko crumbs, sesame seeds, and onion powder in a small bowl or plate with high edges. Wet your hand lightly and shape 3-tbsp.-sized (45 g) scoops of the chickpea mixture into "cutlets" or "tender" shapes. Press each tendie gently into the panko mixture until coated, then place on a baking sheet. Repeat until you have a total of 12 chickpea tenders. Bake for 12 minutes, then flip and bake for another 12 minutes, or until they begin to turn golden. Begin making the waffles while those are baking.
Allow the waffle batter to thicken for 5 minutes before pouring it into your waffle maker. Cook the waffle for about 8 minutes, checking for doneness once most of the steaming has stopped. Repeat until all the waffle batter is gone.
