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Chickpea falafel

Chickpea Falafel

Wonderfully tasty, fragrant chickpea fritters with fresh herbs. Falafel is little deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas seasoned with herbs and spices. Aside from the time it takes to soak the chickpeas, they come together quickly and easily, giving you a crispy, aromatic snack with all the goodness of chickpeas. The dish originated in Egypt and is found in nearly every Middle Eastern cuisine.

Anna

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Chickpeas

200

Water

900

Onion

Garlic

Fresh herbs (dill, parsley, cilantro — to taste)

100

Flour

Salt

Baking soda

Ground black pepper

Ground red pepper

Paprika (sweet)

Curry powder

0.5

Ground coriander

Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

100

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 14 % 3 g

Fats 32 % 7 g

Carbohydrates 55 % 12 g

128 kcal

GI: 83 / 0 / 17

Cooking method

Cooking time: 25 min

Step 1:

Gather the ingredients for the chickpea falafel. Use whatever fresh herbs you like — dill, parsley, cilantro, mint, and so on — and adjust the spices to taste, using more of some and skipping others as you prefer.
Step 2:

Pick over the chickpeas if needed, then put them in a bowl. Cover with water and rinse. Add fresh water and leave them to soak for 10–12 hours, or overnight at room temperature. By then the chickpeas will have absorbed the water and swelled up; drain off any liquid that's left. (In some recipes the chickpeas, or other legumes, aren't soaked but boiled until half-cooked instead.)
Step 3:

Peel the onion and garlic and rinse them along with the herbs. Chop the onion and press the garlic through a garlic press.
Step 4:

Grind the chickpeas in a blender or meat grinder until the texture is uniform. I used a meat grinder.
Step 5:

You can also grind the herbs, onion, and garlic the same way — it makes the falafel more tender and juicy. Combine the ground chickpeas, herbs, onion, and garlic in a bowl.
Step 6:

Add the spices to the mixture. Remember you can adjust the amounts — add part, taste, and add more if you'd like. Pour in a couple of tablespoons of cool water and add the baking soda.
Step 7:

Mix everything together thoroughly and cover with a lid or plastic wrap. Let the mixture rest at room temperature for half an hour.
Step 8:

Now mix the chickpea mixture with the flour until evenly combined.
Step 9:

With hands dampened in cold water, scoop up a bit of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Keep them small so they cook through quickly in the oil. Once all the balls are formed, heat vegetable oil in a skillet or saucepan until hot.
Step 10:

Add the chickpea balls to the pan and fry on all sides over medium heat, so they don't scorch before they're fully cooked inside. Transfer the fried falafel to paper towels to drain. Serve with fresh herbs and your favorite sauce.

Falafel can be eaten on its own — as a snack or a full meal — or used as the centerpiece of a salad, a filling for burgers, or a wrap in pita or flatbread. You can also make falafel with a filling tucked inside.