Falafel

[فلافل]

Falafel (فلافل), crisp patties typically made from ground chickpeas, and/or fava beans, fresh herbs, sesame seeds, and spices, are popular throughout much of the Middle East and Egypt, where they are customarily served by street vendors accompanied with homemade breads, fresh salads and tahini-based sauces.

Whilst many of these nations are united in their love for this delicious delicacy, its origins are contentious, with many in Egypt claiming it was invented by Coptic Christians in the port city of Alexandria as a substitute for meat dishes during lent, and subsequently imported to the Middle East by merchants, whilst more recently, in Israel and Palestine, debates surrounding Falafel’s provenance have come to emblematize the much broader geo-political conflict.

Our version is based on a Lebanese recipe which uses both chickpeas and fava beans, and is best served with salad and drizzled in tahini sauce.

Ingredients

125g of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water (canned beans will not work for this recipe as they are too wet)

125g of dried shelled broad/fava beans, soaked overnight in water

25g of fresh parsley

40g of fresh coriander

1/2 of a white onion, peeled and halved

2 spring onions, quartered

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

3/4 of a tbsp of sea salt

1/2 tsp of black pepper, ground

1/2 tsp of cumin powder

1 tsp of coriander powder

1/2 tsp of chilli powder, optional

A pinch of ground cinnamon

25g of white sesame seeds

1 tbsp of white all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp of baking powder

Vegetable/sunflower oil, enough for deep frying

To Serve

Tahini sauce, drizzle

Flatbread

Salad

Time 60 mins

Makes 25 falafel

Instructions

Place your chickpeas and broad beans with a pinch of salt in separate large bowls, cover with cold water and soak overnight for a minimum of 12 hours.

Once soaked, drain your beans thoroughly and pat dry.

Add your fresh parsley and coriander to a food processor along with your onion, spring onions, and garlic, and blitz into a coarse paste, ensuring there are no big chunks of herb or onion. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Next, add your drained chickpeas and broad beans to the food processor and blitz until they look like fine bread crumbs.

Mix your beans in with the herb mixture, spices, salt and pepper, sesame seeds, and flour, until it forms an even mixture.

Before frying, add the baking powder to the mixture - this will make the inside of your falafel light and fluffy.

Add the oil to a deep frying pan or wok until it reaches a depth of approx. 5 inches, and heat the oil to 170 °C.

Scoop a heaped table spoonful of the falafel mixture, and use your hands to shape into a round patty. Be sure to fry your falafel in batches. To cook, gently drop the falafel into the oil, ensuring they don't stick to the bottom.

Fry each falafel until the outside is a dark brown colour and the middle has a fluffy texture. Use a skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the falafel from the pan, and place on a piece of kitchen towel for a few minutes to soak up any excess oil.

Serve drizzled in tahini sauce, alongside your choice of flatbread, fresh salad, and pickled chillis.

Poppy MistJuly 29, 2020