What can I say, I just really wanted to make falafel. I’ve had real failures in the past, but this time, through some fortuitous accident, I added 1/4 tsp too much baking powder, and also didn’t have any chickpea flour and so substituted all purpose flour. To my delight, all of the problems I had with my old attempts were magically fixed! The falafel were moist and pillowy on the inside, not dry at all, extra crispy crunchy on the outside, and did not crumble during frying. They also had a delightful kick from the addition of jalapeno, and all of the flavors were deeply accentuated by the thin sprinkle of salt at the very end of the fry. Served with the bitey punchy lemony tahini sauce, which also happens to be the best I’ve ever made, it was all just a joy to eat.
Butter Count: They’re deep fried
FALAFEL:
1 cup dried chickpeas (not canned)
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
1 large bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1 large bunch parsley, roughly chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Canola oil for frying
INSTRUCTIONS:
One night before making the falafel, soak the dried chickpeas in water, covered by 3 inches to give them room to expand.
On the day of making the falafel, drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas. They will not look plump like canned chickpeas - don’t worry. This is desirable. Add the chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor.
Add the onion, cilantro, parsley, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom, and black pepper to the food processor and pulse until it is crumbly but holds its shape when pinched.
Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Stir in the flour and baking soda until well combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for an hour.
Use a small ice cream scoop to create mounds of the falafel mixture. Use your hands to roll the mounds into balls. If they are too crumbly, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, but you shouldn’t need to.
Preheat 3 inches of Canola oil to 350F in a heavy-bottomed, tall-walled skillet (I use a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature).
Add the falafel to the oil in batches, careful not to overcrowd them. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring and flipping the falafel in the oil constantly, until golden brown, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at 350F. I like them extra crispy so I cook them until they are almost burnt, but it’s a fine line, so I suggest to take them out when they are a nice golden brown all over.
Use a skimmer to transfer the falafel to paper towels and immediately sprinkle with a little salt.
Repeat the frying process with the rest of the falafel.
TAHINI SAUCE:
1/2 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until the mixture is well emulsified.
Place the falafel on a serving platter and pour the sauce over them to taste. Top with fresh parsley, if desired.