FALAFEL
This vegetarian main dish is a favorite in Israel and the Mediterranean. Check out this delicious falafel made with chickpeas and the perfect mix of spices! It's the perfect addition for your book club!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 3-5 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoon flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking powder optional – makes the falafel more fluffy
- Vegetable oil for frying grapeseed oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, and peanut oil work well
Instructions
- ONE DAY AHEAD:
- Pour the dry chickpeas into a large bowl and pour cold water over them until covered by 3 inches of water. Add 1/2 tsp of baking soda to the water to soften the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and soak overnight, approximately 12 hours or longer. They will double in size.
- THE DAY OF:
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place them in a food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.
- Pulse until a rough, coarse meal (between couscous and a paste) forms and the texture holds together. Don't over-process and make sure there is an even texture.
- Pour into a bowl and stir. Remove any large chickpea chunks. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- In a skillet, add 1 ½ inches of oil. Use cooking oil with a high smoke point. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature is between 360 and 375 degrees F.
- Form 2 tbsp of falafel mixture into round balls using wet hands or a scoop. (Note: if the balls don't hold together, put back into the processor and pulse until more of a paste. Try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix.)
- Fry the falafels in batches until golden brown on both sides. If the oil is too hot, the falafel will brown too quickly and not cook in the center. The falafel should brown to a deep golden brown, usually around 3-4 minutes on each side. Once fried, remove them with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels.
- Serve fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus, topped with tahini sauce, or inside a pita pocket. Enjoy!
Notes
This makes about 30 falafels, which I have as approximately 12 servings (2-3 each). Adjust depending on how many you will think each member will eat.
For gluten free, use chickpea flour.
