Falafel
I don’t think anyone needs an explanation about falafel: these yummy fried balls made out of chickpeas are rightly famous all over the world. But have you ever wondered how to make amazing, crispy falafel, like the ones you can taste in Israel, the traditional way, from scratch, at home?
I’m gonna teach you! These falafel are by far one of the most successful recipes I ever published on my blog and I really hope you’ll like them as much as I (and many many other readers) do!
Before we start, please note that we are using dried chickpeas – this recipe will not work with pre-cooked or canned chickpeas.
Also, if you find yourself with pre-soaked chickpeas and are now wondering how dried chickpeas convert to soaked chickpeas, don’t worry: the conversion is 1:2, soaked chickpeas weigh practically double than dried.
Falafel
Ingredients
- 250 g dried chickpeas
- 1 onion (or 150 g frozen onion)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the dried chickpeas in a bowl, cover them with cold water, and allow to soak overnight. If you have already soaked the chickpeas but forgot to weigh them, consider you'll need about double the weight: 500g soaked chickpeas equal 250g dry. Do not, and I repeat do not, use canned or pre-cooked chickpeas: the recipe will not work: we need them just soaked.250 g dried chickpeas
- Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, cumin, parsley, baking soda, salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and grind to obtain a thick, grainy paste. You can make the paste ahead and keep it in the fridge for a full day in a ziplock bag if needed, until ready to fry.1 onion (or 150 g frozen onion), 2 garlic cloves, 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped, 1 tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper to taste, 1 pinch baking soda
- Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball: this might look difficult at the beginning, but it's just a matter of practice; the mixture might seem crumbly and dry, but if you squeeze it really hard with your hands it will hold together and maintain the shape. Do not be tempted to add anything else, just press the mixture tightly with your hands and all will be well.
- Fry in 2 inches of oil in a non-stick pan at 350°F. Try to resist the urge to flip or stir the falafels before they are nicely cooked on one side. Once they are golden brown, drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately.
If you are going to bother to make your own falafel, please do yourself a favor and prepare hummus (or at least tahina), Israeli salad, and fresh pita, too: you will be so glad you did once you enjoy this amazing meal!
