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Falafel

5.0(2159)

These tender and surprisingly light falafel are excellent tucked into a pita or served as an appetizer with a bowl of creamy tahini sauce. Deep-frying is called for here, but don't fret. Frying is thought of as messy, but this can be mitigated by the simplest of measures: Use a heavy, broad and deep pot, a fair amount of oil and don’t crowd (cook in batches if you need to). You’ll know when they’re done because the color will be evenly gorgeous. If you're still not convinced, you can bake the falafel on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes. The results won't be as crisp, but equally delicious.

by Mark Bittman·published 2013-10-23

Open original recipe

Brunch, Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer, Side Dish

Servings

6 servings

Total time

Calories / serving

243 kcal

Ingredients (12)

serves

1 3/4 cups dried chickpeas or 1 cup dried chickpeas plus 3/4 cup dried split fava beanschickpea
2 garlic cloves, lightly crushedgarlic
1/2 onion, quarteredonion
1 teaspoon ground coriandercoriander
1 tablespoon ground cumincumin
1 teaspoon ground cayenne, or to taste; or mild chile powder to tastecayenne
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro leavesparsley
1 teaspoon saltsalt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking sodabaking-soda
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more to tastelemon
Neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, for deep-fryingoil

Instructions (5 steps)

01Put beans in a large bowl and cover with water by 3 to 4 inches; they will triple in volume as they soak. Soak for 24 hours, checking once or twice to see if you need to add water to keep the beans covered.
02Drain beans well and transfer to a food processor with all the remaining ingredients except the oil; pulse until minced but not puréed; add water tablespoon by tablespoon if necessary to allow the machine to do its work, but keep the mixture as dry as possible. (Too much water and your falafel will fall apart. If that happens, add more ground beans.) Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, cayenne or a little more lemon juice as needed.