Ellen's Falafel With Pickled Vegetables and Minted Lemon Yogurt

Ingredients

• For the Pickled Vegetables:
• 3
  cups water
• 1
  cup apple cider vinegar
• ½
  cup sugar
• 1
  -star anise
• 12
  black peppercorns
• 1
  teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1
  teaspoon fennel seeds
• 2
  bay leaves
• 2
  sprigs fresh thyme (broken into short pieces)
• 2
  garlic cloves (crushed)
• 2
  cups finely shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 pound)
• 1
  cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1
  red onion (thinly sliced)
• Optional: 1 jalapeño pepper (sliced 1/4-inch thick)
• For the Falafel:
• One 10-ounce package good quality falafel mix
• Canola oil for frying
• Dash salt
• Dash freshly ground black pepper
• 4
  pieces of pita bread (cut in half)
• Minted Lemon Yogurt (recipe follows)
• Vidalia onion marmalade for garnish (optional)
• For the Minted Lemon Yogurt:
• 1
  cup plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt
• 3
  finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ½
  teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• ½
  teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼
  teaspoon honey (if you’re using plain yogurt)
• Dash salt
• Dash black pepper