Falafel
Deep-fried chickpea and herb fritters, crisp outside and bright green within. Made from dried chickpeas soaked overnight - tinned ones will not hold together.
- Time
- 40 mins + soaking
- Serves
- 6
- Steps
- 7
- Ingredients
- 10
Method
- 01
Soak the dried chickpeas in plenty of cold water overnight. Do not cook them, and do not use tinned - cooked chickpeas turn to mush in the fryer.
- 02
Drain them very thoroughly and pat dry.
- 03
Blitz the chickpeas with the onion, garlic, herbs and spices to a coarse, sandy texture, stopping well short of a smooth paste.
- 04
Chill the mixture for 30 minutes so it firms up and holds its shape.
- 05
Stir in the baking powder just before frying.
- 06
Shape into small balls or patties and fry at 170C for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden.
- 07
Drain on a rack, not paper, so the undersides stay crisp.
Cooking Tips
- Dry the soaked chickpeas properly. Wet mixture spits in the oil and falls apart.
- Fry one as a test before shaping the rest - if it breaks up, pulse the mix a little finer.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Dried split broad beans, or a half-and-half mix with chickpeas, is the Egyptian version.
- Add a tablespoon of flour if the mixture still will not hold.
What to Serve With It
- Serve in flatbread with tahini, salad and pickles, or as part of a mezze.
Storage and Reheating
- The raw mixture keeps 2 days in the fridge and freezes for a month.
- Fried falafel is best eaten immediately; it softens within the hour.
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