Easy Falafel
This Easy Falafel dish is so tasty! It can be served as an appetizer along with a tahini sauce or as a sandwich in flatbread or pita...
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
Footnote: Adding flour will help to draw out any moisture so when it's time to fry, the falafel won't burst. Depending on how well you drain the chickpeas, start with 2 tbsp. of flour and add more if needed.