How To Make Falafel

Falafel Recipe. A traditional middle eastern dish. 

A very filling vegetarian dish, perfect as a starter, 

main course or just a snack. Savour our Falafel recipe.

Yield: 4serving

Ingredients

• 250 g chickpeas
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 handful of parsley
• 1 handful of coriander
• 1 chilli
• 2 flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 ltr vegetable oil
• salt
• pepper
• 1 blender or food processor
• 2 bowls
• 1 spoon
• 1 tray
• 1 slotted spoon
• 1 saucepan
• paper towel

Preparation

Step 1: You will need…

See top right.

Step 2: Prepare the chickpeas

Take a large bowl and put in the chickpeas. Then, pour over enough water to cover the chickpeas and an additional 2 cm more. Leave to soak overnight. In the morning they will look plump and swollen.

Step 3: Drain and purée chickpeas

Hold the chickpeas over the sink and drain off the water with your hand over the bowl.

Now spoon the chickpeas into the blender bowl.

Don't overfill the blender! If the blender is small, you will have to do it in batches. If you have a bigger mixer you can do it all at once.

Close the blender and pulse a couple of times, then blend on full power until you create a breadcrumb like mixture. Check the consistency by stirring with a spoon. If necessary, blend again on full power until you create a fine purée. Then transfer into a bowl.

Step 4: Purée the rest of ingredients

Introduce the parsley, coriander, chilli, garlic along with 2 tablespoons of the puréed chickpeas into the bowl of the blender. Put the lid on and blend until well combined.

Step 5: Mix and season

Spoon the blended mixture into the bowl of puréed chickpeas. Then add the flour, the cumin, the crushed coriander seeds, the baking soda and about one and a half tablespoons of salt. Finally, add some pepper. Combine it all together thoroughly with a spoon. If it looks too dry, a few drops of water can be added.

Step 6: Preheat the oil

Place the saucepan on the hob and add the oil. Then heat it up on a medium high setting.

Step 7: Make the Falafel balls

Take a small amount of the blended mixture in your fingertips and mould into small balls. Then place onto a baking tray.

This amount of ingredients should make around twenty five to thirty balls.

Kept covered, this mixture will keep for one day in the fridge.

Step 8: Fry the Falafel balls

The oil should now be hot enough to fry. Individually, spoon half the batch of falafel balls into the oil. Allow to fry for 2 minutes until golden brown, stirring with the slotted spoon, so they brown evenly. Then remove and drain on a tray prepared with some kitchen towel. Now repeat the process with the remaining falafel balls.

Step 9: Serve and enjoy

The falafel balls are now ready! They are usually served inside pitta bread with tahini, humus, or chopped salad.