Falafel
Local name : فلافل
Fritters of raw soaked chickpeas ground with parsley, coriander, garlic and cumin, fried to a crackling crust around a soft green centre.
Photo : Miansari66 · CC0
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
Method
- Soak the chickpeas for 24 hours in plenty of cold water. They should triple in size. Drain and pat them dry.
- Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic, herbs, spices and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse couscous and holds together when squeezed, without turning into a paste.
- Transfer to a bowl, cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes. Just before frying, stir in the baking soda and sesame seeds.
- Heat 5 cm of oil in a saucepan to 175°C. A small piece of mixture should sizzle and rise straight away.
- Shape walnut-sized balls or patties, pressing firmly between wet hands. Fry in small batches for 3 to 4 minutes until deep brown and crisp.
- Drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot in pita bread with tahini sauce, tomato, pickles and mint.
Falafel holds together because the chickpeas go in soaked but still raw, never tinned; cooked ones collapse in the oil. If the balls break up while frying, process the mixture a little finer and press harder when shaping.
