Name: Falafel
Yield: About 24 falafel (4-6 servings)
Ingredients: *For the falafel:**; 2 cups (400 g) dried chickpeas, soaked for 18-24 hours in cold water (not canned); 1 medium onion, roughly chopped; 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley; ¾ cup firmly packed fresh cilantro; 4 cloves garlic; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon baking powder; 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour); Vegetable oil for deep frying (about 3 inches depth); Sesame seeds for coating (optional); *For the tahini sauce:**; ½ cup (120 g) tahini (well-stirred); ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 clove garlic, grated; ½ teaspoon salt; 4-6 tablespoons cold water (enough to thin to a pourable consistency); *To serve:**; Warm pita pockets; Diced tomatoes and cucumbers; Pickled turnips; Shredded lettuce; Hot sauce or amba (pickled mango sauce)

Falafel

Cultural Context: Falafel's origins are debated — Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, and Israel all claim some version of this fried chickpea fritter. What's not debated is its perfection: a crispy, golden shell giving way to a vibrant green, herb-flecked interior. The crucial rule: never use canned chickpe

Ingredients

*For the falafel:**
2 cups (400 g) dried chickpeas, soaked for 18-24 hours in cold water (not canned)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
¾ cup firmly packed fresh cilantro
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour)
Vegetable oil for deep frying (about 3 inches depth)
Sesame seeds for coating (optional)
*For the tahini sauce:**
½ cup (120 g) tahini (well-stirred)
¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, grated
½ teaspoon salt
4-6 tablespoons cold water (enough to thin to a pourable consistency)
*To serve:**
Warm pita pockets
Diced tomatoes and cucumbers
Pickled turnips
Shredded lettuce
Hot sauce or amba (pickled mango sauce)

Method

**Drain the chickpeas.** After soaking 18-24 hours, they should have roughly doubled in size. Drain thoroughly and pat dry. They should be soft enough to break between your fingers but still have a slightly grainy texture — not mushy.
**Process the falafel.** Add the drained chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt to a food processor. Pulse in short bursts — you want a coarse, grainy mixture (like wet sand), not a paste. Scrape down the sides several times. Stop before it becomes a smooth hummus-like consistency. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes (this firms it up).
**Add the binders.** Sprinkle the baking powder and flour over the chilled mixture. Mix with your hands until just combined.
**Shape.** Using a falafel scoop, small ice cream scoop, or your hands, form the mixture into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (slightly larger than a walnut). Gently flatten them into thick discs — they should be about ¾ inch thick. If desired, press one side into sesame seeds.
**Fry.** Heat oil to 175°C (350°F) in a deep pot or Dutch oven. Use a thermometer — temperature matters. Carefully lower 4-5 falafel at a time into the oil (don't crowd). Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown and crispy all over. The interior should be bright green when you break one open. Drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan (not paper towels — they steam and lose crispiness).
**Make the tahini sauce.** Whisk tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt together. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time, whisking well — the tahini will seize and thicken before it loosens. Keep adding water until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
**Serve** in warm pita pockets with vegetables, pickles, and a generous drizzle of tahini sauce.
*Storage:** Uncooked falafel mixture keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Formed, uncooked falafel freeze well — lay on a tray, freeze until solid, then bag. Fry from frozen, adding 1-2 extra minutes. Cooked falafel keep 3 days refrigerated — reheat in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp. Tahini sauce keeps 1 week refrigerated.