Falafel is a popular dish of Middle Eastern origin made of ground chickpeas, onion and a mix of herbs and spices. They make a delicious vegetarian option and, coupled with juicy tomatoes, cool cumcumber, thinly sliced peppers on warmed flat bread, can be embellished from a lunch into a satisfying main meal.
Falafel is not an ‘on the day’ recipe, because for best results you’ll need to allow it to rest overnight.
Makes: 12 falafel balls
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Resting time: overnight
Ingredients
- 300g dry chickpeas
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ bunch parsley
- ½ bunch coriander
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- Salt
- Oil for deep-frying
For the sauce:
- 1 small tub, dairy free yoghurt e.g. coconut
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt
Method
The previous day, soak the chickpeas in a generous amount of water 12-24 hours. It is important to use dry chickpeas, soaked overnight in water, and not canned chickpeas; these have too much water and will cause the falafel to explode when cooked.
The next day, peel the onion and garlic. Wash the parsley and coriander and discard the stems, then dry the leaves carefully. Drain the chickpeas, then dry them carefully. In a food processor, grind the chickpeas with the garlic, onion, and fresh herbs. In a mixer, mix the chickpea puree with the spices, bicarbonate of soda, sesame seeds, and salt. Mix on a low speed for 2 minutes. Use your hands to form 12 balls the size of walnuts.
Heat the oil for deep-frying to 180°C. Fry the falafels for about 3 minutes. They should be a deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Mix the yoghurt with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Serve the hot falafels with the sauce on flat bread.
About the Author / Gareth Hargreaves
Gareth looks after all editorial content on 50connect. He is the Swiss Army knife of content ideas and production.
