Falafel
 
 
Delicious falafel adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Author:
Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 8 ounces dried chickpeas, picked over and rinsed
  • 2 ounces fresh herbs: Italian parsley, cilantro and mint
  • ½ cup chopped onion (fine)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (up to ¼ teaspoon for spicier falafel)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • oil for shallow frying or more for deep frying
Preparation
  1. Place chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by 2 to 3 inches. Make sure your bowl has plenty of space for the chickpeas to expand. Cover and soak in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours.
  2. Process Italian parsley, cilantro, mint, onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, salt and cayenne pepper in a food processor for 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to process until the mixture resembles pesto, about 5 seconds longer. Add drained chickpeas and pulse 6 times. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to pulse until the chickpeas are coarsely chopped and resemble sesame seeds, about 6-10 more pulses. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
  3. Whisk flour and ⅓ cup water in a bowl until no lumps remain. Microwave, whisking every 10 seconds, until mixture thickens to stiff, smooth pudding-like consistency that forms a mound when dropped from end of whisk into bowl; 20-40 seconds. Stir baking powder into the flour paste.
  4. Add flour paste to chickpea mixture and using a rubber spatula, mix until fully incorporated. Divide mixture into 20 pieces (24 if forming balls) and gently form into a patty shape. If making balls, roll mixture into golf ball-size spheres. Transfer patties to a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet. The formed falafel can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours, covered.
  5. Heat enough oil to reach ¼-inch up the sides of a wide high sided skillet (mine has 3" sides) over medium to medium-high heat. (If deep frying, heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 325 degrees and fry half at a time for about 5 minutes until deep brown in color). Once the oil is hot, add patties and fry, turning the falafel to ensure all sides have browned nicely. You may need to turn the heat down if it's too hot (medium). Transfer cooked falafel to a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Serve with tahini sauce (see link to recipe above).
Recipe by My Lilikoi Kitchen at https://www.mylilikoikitchen.com/2020/06/07/falafel/