Easy Falafel
This vegetarian recipe is so simple to make and a great snack to feed a crowd. Crunchy on the outside with a soft and fluffy center. These falafels are filled with chickpeas making for a wholesome dish.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Baking tray
- Baking paper
- Kitchen paper towel
- Slotted spatula
- Medium stock pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chickpeas soaked overnight
- 1 cup Parsley
- 1 cup Coriander
- 1/4 cup Mint leaves
- 4 Spring onions
- 2 Garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp Gram flour
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1-2 tbsp Water
- 1/4 tsp Pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 4 cups Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 tbsp Olive oil for shaping
To Serve (optional)
- Pita bread
- Mixed salad leaves
- Tahini
- Lemon juice
Instructions
- In a food processor add the chickpeas, herbs, spring onions, garlic and blend until coarse.
- Add the gram flour, cumin powder, baking powder, salt, pepper, 1tbsp water, and blend until the mixture is sticky enough to form a ball in your palms. If you need the other tablespoon of water to bind the mixture add it.
- Start heating the vegetable oil in a medium stock pot, get a tray and line it with baking paper.
- Add a drop of olive oil to your palms and rub around, take a tablespoon of the mixture in your palm and roll into a ball. Place on the lined tray. Continue until you have used up all the mixture.
- Start to fry the shaped falafel by gently placing them one at a time in the oil. Fry for 4-5 mins until they are golden brown and puffed a little.
- Ensure the oil is not too hot as this will cook them on the outside leaving them raw in the middle. I would recommend cooking them on medium heat.
- Once they are ready, place on kitchen paper towel and let them drain before serving them.
- I like to sprinkle them with a little sea salt and squeeze of lemon juice.
Notes
- Don’t over blend the chickpea mixture as it will become hard to shape it into balls.
- Be generous with the olive oil on your palms when you are shaping the mixture, if you have a falafel mould you can use this instead - I don’t have one.
- Season with salt at the end just before shaping.
- Check the cooking methods above on how to panfry/shallow fry or bake these falafels.
- Recipe Inspiration: Cooking With Ayeh