Falafel

Falafel was not something I grew up with.  It was something I learned about as an adult and fell in love with.  There is nothing better than biting into a soft pita filled with crispy, herb spiced patties, some cucumber and tomato and a drizzle of tahini sauce. Falafel has just a few simple ingredients but packs so much flavor.  They are really simple to make you just need to plan ahead.  

Chickpeas, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley and spices.  These are the key ingredients in falafel.  Seems simple enough but why do I say you need to plan ahead?  To make a great falafel you need to start with dried chick peas and soak them the day before.  By using dried, you will get a better texture and flavor when you fry your patties.  I have made them both with dried and canned and using the dried are far superior.  

So, first step is to get dried chickpeas, put them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water.  You want the water to cover the peas by 2 to 3 inches.  As the peas soak they will absorb the water.  

Day 2, drain your chick peas and gather the rest of your ingredients.
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1-1/2 cups of your soaked chick peas
1/2 of a medium red onion, medium chop
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup of cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon of ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon of cardamom
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
3 tablespoons of water
1-1/2 tablespoons of flour
Vegetable oil for frying

This recipe is adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe in his cookbook, Jerusalem.  I prefer my falafel to be a little more spice forward so I doubled his amounts.  I also add more parsley and cilantro because I really like that herb punch.  

Another trick for getting a great consistency in your falafel is to use a meat grinder.  I run the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro through on the smallest grind.  I find that this equally breaks up the ingredients and makes a fluffier base.  If you don't have a meat grinder, you can mix everything in a food processor.  Just make sure you use the pulse feature to incorporate everything.  You don't want to have a paste or uneven piece consistency.  You want everything to be evenly cut, evenly distributed and light.

Once you have your "dough" you can add your spices, baking powder, water and flour.  Mix and put in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  

Fill a deep pan with enough oil to come 3-4 inches up the side.  Heat until you reach a temperature of 350 degrees.

Next, you are going to form your patties,  There is a falafel tool that I found in a nearby store called Mediterranean Oasis Mart.  I love this tool because it is so easy to use and my falafel patties come out the same size.  If you don't have one of these tools, you can use an ice cream scoop or just form them with your hands.

I form the patties as I fry.  I found that the patties will fall apart if you try to make them ahead of time.  Add a few patties at a time to the oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain  on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt.

There are so many things you can add to your falafel; cabbage salad, cucumbers, tomatoes, pickled veggies, tahini sauce, labneh or just eat them as is.  Falafel is delicious and healthy and perfect for this summer heat.