Falafel
Real falafel is made from dried chickpeas soaked overnight, never from a tin. Tinned chickpeas hold too much moisture and fry into mush instead of crisp balls. Good falafel is light green inside from the coriander and parsley, and spiced with cumin and coriander. Serve in pitta with hummus, tahini sauce, tomato, cucumber and red cabbage, or as part of a mezze board.
- 250 g dried chickpeas
1 Put them in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak for at least 12 hours (ideally overnight). Drain and let them drain very well. Pat dry if needed.
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)
- 1 bunch fresh coriander (leaves only)
- 1 green chilli (optional)
2 Roughly chop the onion. Put it in a food processor with the garlic and herbs. Pulse until fine, but don't purée.
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon (secret ingredient)
- ½ tsp baking powder
3 Add the soaked chickpeas and spices to the food processor. Pulse into a fine, sandy mixture that just holds together when you squeeze it in your hand. Don't blend to a paste, or you lose the texture.
4 Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It binds better.
5 With wet hands, shape balls of about 3 cm or flat patties.
- 1 litre vegetable oil for frying
6 Heat the oil in the Dutch oven to 170 °C. Fry the falafel for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden.
7 Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.
Ingredients
Step 1
- 250 g dried chickpeas
Step 2
- 1 small onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)
- 1 bunch fresh coriander (leaves only)
- 1 green chilli (optional)
Step 3
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon (secret ingredient)
- ½ tsp baking powder
Step 6
- 1 litre vegetable oil for frying
Method
- 1 Put them in a large bowl, cover with plenty of cold water and soak for at least 12 hours (ideally overnight). Drain and let them drain very well. Pat dry if needed.
- 2 Roughly chop the onion. Put it in a food processor with the garlic and herbs. Pulse until fine, but don't purée.
- 3 Add the soaked chickpeas and spices to the food processor. Pulse into a fine, sandy mixture that just holds together when you squeeze it in your hand. Don't blend to a paste, or you lose the texture.
- 4 Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It binds better.
- 5 With wet hands, shape balls of about 3 cm or flat patties.
- 6 Heat the oil in the Dutch oven to 170 °C. Fry the falafel for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden.
- 7 Drain on kitchen paper and serve warm.
