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The Staple Kitchen

Falafel

A traditional, crispy falafel recipe made with soaked dried chickpeas, fresh herbs, and aromatic spices. Perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cans 400g each chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
  • 1 small white onion roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled
  • 30 g fresh parsley leaves packed
  • 15 g fresh cilantro leaves packed
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes optional
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour or chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Oil for shallow frying vegetable or canola

Method
 

  1. Place 800g drained and rinsed chickpeas into a food processor.
    chickpeas in chopper
  2. Add 1 roughly chopped small white onion to the food processor.
  3. Add 2 peeled garlic cloves to the food processor.
    Whole head of the purple garlic, unpeeled clove and cloves peeled off the husk close-up on a wooden cutting board
  4. Add 30g fresh parsley leaves and 15g fresh cilantro leaves to the food processor.
  5. Add 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp ground coriander, and ½ tsp red pepper flakes to the bowl.
  6. Pulse the mixture in the food processor until it is coarsely ground but not completely smooth or puréed.
  7. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add 3 tbsp flour and 1 tsp baking powder.
  8. Season the mixture with salt and black pepper to taste and mix gently with a spoon.
  9. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes to help the mixture hold its shape.
    falafel
  10. Form the mixture into 12-16 small patties or balls using your hands.
  11. Heat 1cm of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
  12. Fry the patties in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until they are golden brown and crispy.
    Balls of seasoned chick pea mixture are fried in oil to make falafel in a street-side stall in the West Bank town of Bethlehem.
  13. Remove the fried patties from the skillet and place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
    Gourmet falafel - famous middle eastern dish, with a stylish twist

Notes

For a healthier alternative, you can bake/airfry these at 200°C (400°F) for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through, though they may be slightly less crispy than the fried version. Ensuring the chickpeas are very dry after rinsing is crucial for the best texture. Serve these hot inside pita bread with tahini sauce, diced tomatoes, and cucumbers for a classic meal.
Enjoy! :)