Falafel

From recipe: makes about 20 balls From my own experience: Yield: around 25 pieces using 1/8 of cup as mold Serve hot with pita bread, Tahini sauce, chopped tomato and cucumber salad (SPICED SALAD), Zhoug, and pickles (PICKLED TURNIP AND BEET). Pita sandwich stuffed with falafel, french fries, salad, and other goodies, with hawayej and zhoug. Fr Jerusalem by Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Updated at: Thu, 01 Feb 2024 20:56:16 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories65.3 kcal (3%)

Total Fat3.3 g (5%)

Carbs7.1 g (3%)

Sugars1.2 g (1%)

Protein2.2 g (4%)

Sodium43.5 mg (2%)

Fiber1.3 g (5%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

25 servings

250gdried chickpeas

½ cuponion

medium, finely chopped

1clove garlic

crushed

1 Tbspflat-leaf parsley

finely chopped

2 Tbspcilantro

finely chopped

¼ tspcayenne pepper

½ tspground cumin

½ tspground coriander

¼ tspground cardamom

½ tspbaking powder

3 Tbspwater

1 ½ Tbspall-purpose flour

750mlsunflower oil

for deep-frying

½ tspsesame seeds

for coating

salt

Instructions

Step 1

Place the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water at least twice their volume. Set aside to soak overnight.

Step 2

The next day, drain the chickpeas well and combine them with the onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. For the best results, use a meat grinder for the next part. Put

Step 3

Put the chickpea mixture once through the machine, set to its finest setting, then pass it through the machine for a second time. If you don’t have a meat grinder, use a food processor. Blitz the mix in batches, pulsing each for 30 to 40 seconds, until it is finely chopped, but not mushy or pasty, and holds itself together. Once processed, add the spices, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, flour, and water. Mix well by hand until smooth and uniform. Cover the mixture and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or until ready to use.

Step 4

Fill a deep, heavy-bottomed medium saucepan with enough oil to come 2¾ inches / 7 cm up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil to 350°F / 180°C.

Step 5

With wet hands, press 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the palm of your hand to form a patty or a ball the size of a small walnut, about a scant 1 oz / 25 g (you can also use a wet ice-cream scoop for this).

Step 6

Sprinkle the balls evenly with sesame seeds and deep-fry them in batches for 4 minutes, until well browned and cooked through. It is important they really dry out on the inside, so make sure they get enough time in the oil. Drain in a colander lined with paper towels and serve at once.