Falafel

DmentD
  • 1 LB dry chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) (do not substitute canned)
  • ½ TSP baking soda
  • 1 onion (roughly chopped)
  • ¼ C chopped fresh parsley (1 bunch)
  • 8 cloves garlic
  • 1½ TBS flour
  • 1¾ TSP salt
  • 2 TSP cumin
  • 1 TSP ground coriander
  • ½ TSP black pepper
  • ¼ TSP paprika
  • Pinch of ground cardamom
  • Vegetable oil for frying

You will also need: large food processor, skillet, #40 (purple handled / ~¾ OZ) scoop.

  1. One day ahead: Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Add ½ TSP of baking soda to the water and stir; this will help soften the chickpeas. Cover the bowl and let them soak overnight in a cool, dark place or chill in the refrigerator. The chickpeas should soak at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours, until tender (change soaking water for fresh water after 12 hours).
  2. They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 – 5 C of beans after soaking.
  3. Drain and rinse the chickpeas well.
  4. Add to your your food processor the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, paprika and cardamom. Process until finely chopped.
  5. Add the chickpeas into the food processor and pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that… but don’t over-process, you don’t want it turning into hummus!
  6. Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.
  7. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 – 2 hours.
  8. Fill a skillet with oil to a depth of 1½ inches. Use cooking oil with a high smoke point. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature to fry falafel is between 360° – 375°.
  9. Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop (#40 purple handled scoop). The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry. Try to keep as loosely packed as possible.
  10. If the balls won’t hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they should bind together and stick. If they still won’t hold together, you can try adding 2 – 3 TBS of flour to the mixture. If they still won’t hold, add 1 – 2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.
  11. Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2 – 3 minutes per side to brown (5 – 6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again.
  12. When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5 – 6 at a time until golden brown on both sides. Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels.
  13. Serve the falafels fresh and hot.

  • SESAME FALAFEL VARIATION: After forming the balls or patties, dip them in sesame seeds prior to frying. This will make the falafel coating crunchier and give it a slightly nutty flavor.
  • HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending.
  • TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending.

Yields 34 falafel (6 -7 servings).

Serving: 5 falafel, Calories: 409kcal, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 700mg, Potassium: 720mg, Carbohydrates: 50g, Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 15g

NOTES

  • To bake falafel: Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Heat oven to 400°. Form the falafel into flat patty-style shapes and place them on the baking sheet. Brush the top of each patty with extra virgin olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through baking, until golden brown.
  • Troubleshooting: If your falafel is too hard/too crunchy on the outside, there are two possible reasons– 1) you didn’t process the mixture enough– return the chickpea mixture to the processor to make it more paste-like. 2) the chickpeas you used were old, or they didn’t soak long enough. Try buying a fresher (newer) batch of dried chickpeas next time and make sure you soak them until they’re doubled in size and slightly tender.

https://toriavey.com/falafel