Falafel

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Makes 8-10 falafel balls.

This deep fried falafel recipe is something that I arrived at after a lot of trial and error. I wanted a falafel that had a crispy exterior and fluffy interior, was full of flavour, and most importantly, didn't fall apart completely when it went into hot oil. After a bit of research, I found that the best way to get structurally sound falafel is to start with dry chickpeas and soak them overnight. This is an extra step that requires a little more planning and patience, but it is absolutely essential if you want to fry your falafel. Canned chickpeas have already been soaked and cooked and will turn into mush if you try and fry them. Great for baked falafel, terrible for deep fried.

This brings us onto the question of baking versus frying falafel. There are some fantastic baked falafel recipes out there and to be honest, I make baked falafel much much more often than I do fried (check out my sweet potato falafel burger recipe, for example). It is immensely healthier and just a lot less effort. However, when you make deep fried falafel, you get a contrast in textures that you just can't replicate with baking. And not to mention, everything is more delicious when deep fried.

Ingredients:

• 250g dry chickpeas, 
• 1/2 red onion, finely diced, 
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced, 
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped coriander leaves, 
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley, 
• 2 tsp cumin, 
• 2 tsp ground coriander, 
• 1/2 tsp cayenne, 
• 1 tbsp dried oregano, 
• 1 tsp sumac, 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds, 
• 1 tsp fine salt, 
• 1 tsp baking powder, 
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour (more if needed), 
• juice of half a lemon,
• 1 litre vegetable oil (for cooking).

Method:

• Place dry chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with 5-6 cm of water. Leave overnight to soak.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas and pat dry.
• Place chickpeas, a handful at a time, into a blender or food processor and pulse until you have a smooth, slightly pebbly mixture.
• Add all the ground chickpeas to a large mixing bowl along with the onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne, oregano, sumac, cinnamon, sesame seeds, salt, and lemon juice. Mix to combine.
• Add the baking powder and flour and continue to mix until you have a mixture that is slightly crumbly but will hold a shape if you form a small ball with it. If the balls are not sticking together, add some more flour.
• Place the bowl in the fridge and let chill for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the falafel to keep its shape better when cooked.
• Remove the mixture from the fridge and, using your hands or an ice cream scoop, form 8 to 10 golfball sized balls.
• Place the balls on a baking sheet and let rest for an additional 30 minutes.
• Add 1 litre of vegetable oil to a large pot and place over a medium heat. Heat the oil to 175 celsius. Alternatively, you can check when the oil is hot enough by placing the end of a wooden skewer or chop stick into the oil. If bubbles form around the skewer and it makes a sizzling sound, then the oil is hot enough.
• Carefully place the falafel balls, 2-3 at a time, into the oil and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown, flipping half way through to ensure all sides are evenly cooked.
• Remove from the oil and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season immediately with a pinch of salt. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Serve while still warm.