In this article, we will give information about how to make a falafel recipe.So read this article till the end to know about the easy falafel recipe.
What is falafel?
Falafel are spicy fried balls or patties with a unique flavor and texture, prepared with garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
Falafel mainly belongs to Middle Eastern cuisine and is a popular vegetarian dish eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
To prepare this dish, chickpeas are soaked overnight to get the desired texture. These soaked chickpeas are mixed with onions, green chillies, herbs and spices to make a coarse mixture.
It is then shaped into balls or patties and deep fried in hot oil till they attain crispness and a beautiful golden colour. These balls or patties have a high protein content as they majorly make up chickpeas, which are known to be protein-rich ingredients.
Serve these chickpea fritters with a spicy dip or chutney, or stuff them into pita bread pockets and top with greens, cucumbers, onions, herbs, and tzatziki sauce, and you’ve got yourself a heavenly treat. Can!
You can even pack these bite-sized wonders in your kids’ tiffins; I assure you, they would love to devour them.
How to Make Falafel Recipe
Ingredients:
For falafels
- 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained
- 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. Coriander
- 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
For serving
- Pitas
- Chopped Salad
- halved cherry tomatoes
- thinly sliced cucumbers
Directions:
Step 1
In food processor fitted with metal blade, blend chickpeas, garlic, onion, oregano, cumin, coriander and flour and season with salt and pepper. Pulse the mixture until crumbly and mushy – don’t over blend!
Step 2
Form mixture into falafel balls about 2″ in diameter, pressing to compact. Transfer to refrigerator to chill while oil is hot.
Step 3
In a pot, heat 1″ vegetable oil until a drop of water comes into the oil and it bubbles.
Step 4
Fry the falafels until golden, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and salt immediately.
Step 5
To make the yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, oil, and dill. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6
To make the tahini sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and hot water. season with salt. (If you prefer a thinner sauce, whisk in more hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time.)
Step 7
Serve falafels in pita with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber and drizzle with any sauce.
NOTES:
Chef’s Tip: You want to start with dried chickpeas, don’t use canned chickpeas here. You’ll need to start by soaking the chickpeas overnight, allow up to 24 hours.
Falafel Recipe Variations: Variations of this recipe may call for flour or eggs. If you’d like, you can add 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of flour to the falafel mix or 1 egg. I didn’t use either, and the falafel mix stayed together well.
Pro tip for frying: When you fry falafel patties, you want the outside to achieve a deep golden brown color. More importantly, the patties should be perfectly done on the inside. Your frying oil needs to be at 375 degrees F for my stove, which was on medium-high. Be sure to test your first batch and adjust frying time as needed.
Have an Air Fryer? Try this Air Fryer Falafel recipe.
Popular Falafel Sauce: Tahini sauce is traditionally used with falafel. I use Organic Tahini Paste by Soom, and here’s my Tahini Sauce recipe.
Baked Falafel Substitute: If you prefer, you can bake the falafel patties in a preheated 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, turning them halfway through. Use a lightly oiled sheet pan, and you may like to give the patties a quick brush of extra virgin olive oil before baking.
Pro-Tip for Make-Ahead: To make and freeze ahead, prepare falafel mixture and divide into patties (up to step #6). Place patties on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. When they’ve hardened, you can transfer the falafel patties to freezer bags. They will keep well in the freezer for a month or two. You can fry them or bake them after frying.
Visit our online shop to browse all natural and organic spices including cumin and coriander; organic tahini paste; Extra Virgin Olive Oil and more!
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