~ Wild Mallow Falafel (Malva arborea) ~
The tall beach mallow with soft pink flowers is a familiar presence along coastal areas & sandy tracks. It thrives in wind, salt spray and sandy, depleted soils, which is why it often grows in places where most plants refuse to settle. The leaves are round, softly textured and mild in flavour.
In the Mediterranean, mallow has been an everyday food for centuries. It is used like a leafy vegetable, stirred into stews, shaped into patties, mixed with grains or cooked down with olive oil and garlic. In Greece, Turkey, Italy and North Africa, wild mallow dishes are still common, especially in spring when young leaves are plentiful. The plant’s natural mucilage gives body and silkiness to soups, dips and fillings without relying on dairy or thickeners.
Mallow is known for its soothing and cooling properties. Traditionally it was used to ease irritated digestion and calm dry or inflamed tissues. A mild tea from the leaves or flowers was taken to soften coughs. Nutritionally, mallow leaves offer gentle fibre, minerals, and a good amount of vitamins A and C. Their mild flavour makes them easy to fold into everyday cooking without overpowering other ingredients.
In cooking, beach mallow behaves much like other mallows. The leaves contain a natural mucilage that gives a light thickening effect in soups, patties and fritters. When blended into doughs or mixtures, the leaves help bind ingredients without the need for extra flour or egg, making them useful in plant-forward cooking. Young leaves can be used raw, while older leaves are better finely chopped and cooked.
Mallow falafel
This is the recipe we used last week at the Foraged Flavours event.
Ingredients
2 cups cooked chickpeas or well-soaked dried chickpeas
1 packed cup finely chopped mallow leaves
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Optional egg to help hold mixture together.
Oil for shallow frying
Method
Blend the chickpeas, onion and garlic until partly smooth but still textured. Add the mallow leaves, spices, salt, pepper, and optional egg. Mix to form a firm dough that holds together when shaped.
Rest the mixture in the fridge for 30mins, then roll into small balls or patties. I make walnut sized balls then flatten with my fingertips.
Heat a pan with a shallow layer of oil and cook the falafel on medium heat until browned on all sides, turning gently as they firm up.
Serve warm with yoghurt, tahini dressing or tucked into flatbread with fresh greens.
