Easy Falafel
When you discover Levantine cuisine, it opens up a delicious culinary door to exotic flavors. Fresh ingredients, herbs and spices are harmoniously combined, delivering scrumptious dishes. I’ve been hooked on its cuisine for years and more so after I went to Mamoun’s Falafel located in Greenwich Village in the Big Apple.
That is where I had my very first taste of Middle Eastern cuisine and as soon as I got back from my business trip, I started experimenting with making some of their foods. It didn’t take me too long to get the hang of it and start enjoying a few dishes like
It’s an amazingly healthy recipe that is so tasty! With a beautiful mix of ingredients, this popular Middle East dish pairs so well with Couscous along with a Tahini Sauce. This Easy Falafel can also turn out to be a great main ingredient for sandwiches using pita bread.
Talking about the main ingredient… chickpeas are the star of this recipe. They have to be soaked for a minimum of 15 hours. Sometimes things happen and we might forget to do this simple step the night before. I have a quick way to speed things up…
First, remove any stones or other debris then place the chickpeas in a colander. Rinse them thoroughly under cold water. Transfer them to a pot and cover with 2-inches of cold water. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Cover and let them soak for 1 hour; drain and rinse the beans again before proceeding with the recipe. Although this quick method works, I still prefer to soak them overnight.
Another important thing to keep in mind when making falafel is to NOT use canned chickpeas. Not only are they already precooked but they also retain too much moisture making the frying process much more challenging. If you insist on using them – I won’t agree but can’t stop you – at least try to add more flour so it can draw some of the moisture out.
This Easy Falafel recipe is the kind of dish that I enjoy anytime and you will as well after you try it. It has delicious layers of flavor, crunchy on the outside and tender in the inside. It actually feels good to eat a dish like this one…
Bon Appétit!
Here are more great Middle East inspired recipes for you to try…
– Lamb Kofta with Yogurt Sauce
– Middle East Muhammara
– Pomegranate Molasses
– Mediterranean Leg of Lamb
– Easy Baba Ghanoush
– Roasted Red pepper Hummus
and for even more Interntational recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • International
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Easy Falafel
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Ingredients
FALAFEL
- 1 rounded cup dried chickpeas aka garbanzo, stones & other debris removed
- 1 cup red onions, roughly chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped tips & tricks
- 1/4 cup mint, roughly chopped tips & tricks
- 1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (substitute aleppo pepper)
- 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour (substitute chickpea flour) Footnote
- 1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
- canola oil, for frying tips & tricks
TAHINI SAUCE
- 3/4 cup tahini paste see Recipe
- 3/4 cup 2% plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 pinch ground Himalayan sea salt
Directions
FALAFEL
- Place chickpeas in a bowl and cover with cold water to 2-inches above; let soak for 24 hours.
- Next day, drain very well and transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel chopping blade.
- Add onions, garlic, parsley, mint, cilantro, cumin, baking powder, ground sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, flour and lemon juice. Process until finely ground but not puréed, stopping a few times to clean the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, making sure it touches the surface and chill for 3 hours. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
- In a large skillet pour in oil and bring the temperature to 350ºF.
- Using a falafel scoop or a sorbet scoop, form balls the size of a walnut or golf ball. If not using a scoop, moisten your hands.
- Without crowding it and working in batches, transfer the balls to the hot oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil before serving with the tahini sauce.
TAHINI SAUCE
- In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until well blended. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator for 3 hours.
Notes
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