- Yield: 24-36 portions
- Prep Time: 12-14 hours minutes
- Cook Time: 30-45 minutes
Falafel (vegetarian fritters)
Ingredients
- 1 cups dry peeled fava beans
- 3 cups dried chickpeas (soaked in water over night)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley (no stems)
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (no stems)
- 4 cloves of freshly peeled garlic, chopped
- 2 medium size yellow onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
- 2 teaspoons of Coriander
- 2 tablespoons falafel spice ( powder)
- 3 teaspoon of baking soda
- Canola oil for frying
- Tahani Sauce
- 1/2 cup Tahini Paste
- ¾ cup of freshly squeezed Lemon Juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 gloves of garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ tablespoon fresh parsley
- Optional Falafel Serving Sides
- Pickles (cucumbers, turnips, pickled chilli peppers)
- Tomatoes, diced
- Chopped fresh parsley or lettuce
- Pita bread, wraps or salads
Instructions
- Soak fava beans and the chickpeas in water in separate containers overnight changing water half way through. The following day, drain and rinse both fava beans and chickpeas in a colander for a few moments then let them dry from any excess water.
- In patches, place chickpeas in food processor and process for a minute or two until they look like thin bread crumbs, scraping down the side making sure no large pieces in mixture. Put aside in a large bowl. Repeat with the fava beans making sure same consistency is achieved. Place in bowl with chickpea mixture.
- In your food processor again, Place the garlic, chopped onions, parsley, cilantro, and run for a couple of minutes until they turn into a paste. Make sure parsley and cilantro and completely dry from any water. Or your dough will be a little runny, soft and will fall apart when frying.
- Add parsley paste and all the spices EXPECT THE BAKING SODA to the chickpea and fava bean mixture and knead with hands until they reach a doughy texture. You want the result to be a thick paste. At this point feel free to taste the Falafel mix to make sure it has a balanced flavor, adjust spice and salt to your liking. Cover and let rest for 1 hour in fridge. just before you start to form into round balls, mix in the baking soda.
- Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Flatten slightly. Here you have the option to dip the formed balls into sesame seeds. If so, in a round flat plate, place ½ cup of white sesame seeds. Once you form the ball, place on top of the sesame seeds and gently press into seeds. Then place on tray and repeat until done. I usually do half with sesame seeds and another half plain.
- Heat oil pan, with oil about 4-5 cm deep, fry Falafel patties/balls at medium to high heat until golden brown (5 to 6 minutes). Make sure oil is not to hot or they will brown on the outside before they cook on the inside. You can also, bake in oven for a more healthier option.
- To bake: Place falafel patties on lightly greased oven tray in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove when golden brown.
- Make tahini sauce: Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend on high for few seconds (tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper). consistency is smooth and creamy. place in a squeeze bottle in fridge until serving.
- To serve hot: Crush hot falafel patties onto pita bread. Top with chopped parsley, lettuce, tomatoes, pickle, and tahini sauce. Roll up the pita and serve.
- To serve cold: Chop patties and add to a cold salad, with lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. Drizzle tahini sauce over as dressing.
