Homemade Falafel
Homemade Falafel
You can create excellent baked or pan-fried falafel using canned chickpeas, but if you want to make the universally loved deep-fried variety, you’ll need to use dried chickpeas, which you soak overnight in water before blitzing with the other ingredients. Dried chickpeas, even when partially hydrated through soaking, are drier and starchier than the canned variety, yielding a batter that will stick together and not disintegrate when deep-fried. This recipe comes from Delish.com and uses many of our veggies and herbs to create!
YIELDS:20
Ingredients
- 1 c. dried chickpeas
- 1/2 small white onion, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 c. fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground coriander
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- Vegetable oil, for frying (6 to 8 c.)
- Tahini sauce, for serving
Directions
- Pour chickpeas into a large bowl and add cold water to cover by at least 2″. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Drain chickpeas well, pat dry, and transfer to a food processor. Pulse until chickpeas are halfway broken down. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, salt, baking powder, coriander, and cumin and continue to pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Sprinkle flour over and pulse just until combined.
- Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or 2 spoons, portion chickpea mixture into 1″ balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Using clean hands, roll each ball, tossing between both hands and lightly squeezing to compress, until smooth and compact (mixture will feel wet). Arrange balls on a clean plate or parchment-lined baking sheet
- Into a large heavy pot fitted with a deep-fry or candy thermometer, pour oil to a depth of 2″. Heat over high heat until thermometer registers 350°. Set a wire rack in a large baking sheet. Working 6 to 7 at a time, gently lower falafel into oil and fry, adjusting heat as needed, until deeply browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to prepared rack to cool. Serve warm with tahini sauce alongside.
