This classic Middle Eastern/ Mediterranean recipe has made its place in my heart for the longest time now. Literally when I make this recipe I have falafels in my lunch, dinner as well as in my snacks and do not ever get sick of it.
What is Falafel?
A traditional falafel is a deep fried ball or patty which are crispy on outside and soft on inside made with chickpeas (Garbanzo beans) and loads of herbs and spices. This is a naturally vegetarian, vegan recipe and so versatile that it goes well with salads, wraps, burgers, sandwiches and also in wholesome bowls.
First most important thing is to dry the soaked chickpeas completely before starting with the recipe. You also want to soak chickpeas atleast 8 hours or overnight to make this recipe. So, do not go for the canned chickpeas as those will be too soft and give you a hard time when you want to give the ball or patty shape to your falafels.
Also it is optional to use chilly in the recipe but I have used half jalapeno which added a kick of spiciness and was totally worth. You can adjust the spiciness as per your taste but do use a small jalapeno or green chilly to make it more flavorful.
The authentic falafels are those which are made with fresh herbs as they are the ones which add the flavor to this recipe. So you have to make sure that you are using fresh cilantro and fresh parsley for this recipe to get that delicious and bold traditional taste.
Falafel
Ingredients-
Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans, 2 cups, soaked overnight at least 8 hours (Do not use canned chickpeas for this recipe)
Onion, 1 small, roughly chopped
Garlic cloves, 3
Jalapeno, 1, chopped
Fresh cilantro, 1 bunch, roughly chopped
Fresh parsley, 1 bunch, roughly chopped
Chickpea flour or Besan flour, 1/2 cup
Baking soda, ½ tsp
Salt, 1 tsp
Paprika powder, 1 tsp
Cumin powder, 1 tsp
Garlic powder, 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder, 1 tsp
Olive oil or any vegetable oil, 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds to garnish on top, 2 tbsp
Recipe
Drain and rinse soaked chickpeas and dry them completely. Spread chickpeas on a bake pan and let them dry completely about 30 mins.
Transfer chickpeas into the food processor with onions, cilantro, parsley, garlic and blend it all together until everything is well combined but we want a chunky mixture. So do not over blend the mixture. Keep it chunky. Takes about 15-25 seconds.
Transfer the mixture into a large bowl. Then add all spices – paprika, cumin powder, coriander, garlic powder, salt and give it a mix so the spices are well combined.Then add chickpea flour and combine the mixture well.Lastly add baking soda which is needed to give a little lift and make falafels fluffy. Mix again once adding baking soda.
Cover the mixture with a lid and let it refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 50 minutes.Slightly grease the baking pan with about spoonful olive oil if you are not using a parchment paper. If you are using a parchment sheet to line the baking pan no need to grease the pan in this case and you can transfer the falafel balls on the sheet directly.
Using an ice cream scoop or any spoon make small even sized balls and transfer them to the baking pan.Using a brush, oil the falafel balls gently and add some sesame seeds on top.
Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F and bake them for about 35 minutes once the oven is preheated.Check after 35 minutes and if they have not turned slightly golden brown on surface bake them for another 5-8 minutes and then once they appear slightly brown on the surface take them out of the oven and let them cool down for about 10 minutes.
Serve them hot and crispy with some hummus or in salads. Enjoy !!
Happy Eating :D
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