Chickpea Croquettes with Greek Salad Topping

Serves 4, Vegan, Gluten-Free
From Vegetarian Times, October 2009

For the Topping:
1 cucumber, quartered and sliced (1 cup)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

For the Croquettes:
1 cup chickpea flour
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 15 oz. can chickpeas
4 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation:
1. To make topping: Toss together cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, lemon juice, and oil in bowl. Gently stir in feta crumbles. Season with salt & pepper, set aside.

2. To make Croquettes: Whisk together chickpea flour, cumin, chili powder, and salt in a bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup hot water (add more water if needed, I added about 1 cup). Stir in remaining ingredients and, with the back of a fork, squish the chickpea slightly. Season with salt & pepper.

3. Heat skillet over medium heat - coat the bottom with a light oil (I used sunflower oil because that's what I had). Scoop 1/4 cup dollops of chickpea mixture into skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 3-4 minutes, or until golden. Flip with spatula and cook 3-4 minutes more. Repeat with remaining chickpea mixture (the cooked croquettes can sit on a baking sheet in a 200 F oven). Serve each Croquette topped with 1/4 cup Topping.