Falafel

Falafel. This is magical.

Crisp on the outside and light, almost crumbly on the inside with nutty freshness. We like them very herby, spicy and garlicky.

We don’t remember when our love for falafel has started but the way to find the perfect one was long. Real falafel MUST be fried, not baked. Frying give it a superior texture, crispy outside and moist inside, something you can not get with baking.

The Egyptian version uses dried white broad beans, while in other areas, some recipes call for half broad beans, half dried chickpeas or even all chickpeas like Palestinian do.

We’ve gone fresher still for our recipe and used fresh broad beans. It is important to soak beans overnight in cold water. We usually add 1 tsp of baking soda to the soaking water to help soften the dry chickpeas.

Traditionally, falafel are wrapped in warm pita bread along with fresh herbs and a tahini sauce. This is how we like to eat them. With some homemade pickles, fried eggplants and maybe an extra soft boiled egg.

Ingredients

• 500 g large skinless dried broad beans
• A large bunch of flat-leafed parsley or coriander or a mixture of two, finely chopped
• 7 spring onions, finely chopped
• kosher salt
• ¼ tsp or more cayenne or chilli pepper
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed in a press
• 1 tsp baking powder
• vegetable oil for frying

Method

1. Soak the beans for 24 hours. Drain, rinse and drain well. Dry them a bit on a tea towel or kitchen paper.
2. Chop the flat-parsley and spring onions in the food processor, then put them aside.
3. Put the beans in the food processor and blend to a smooth, soft paste. The longer you process the better.
4. Add salt, the cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, garlic and baking powder and continue to process until the paste is very soft and holds well together.
5. Add the flat-parsley and spring onions and blend very briefly – just enough to mix them in. Allow the paste to rest for one hour.
6. Heat about 2.5 cm (1 inch) of oil in a pan to medium hot. Take small, walnut-sized lumps and make round flat cakes about 4 cm (1.6 inches) in diameter, and deep-fry a few at a time. It is easier if you put the little cakes on a plate and push them in at the same time with a flexible spatula (they are too soft to be picked up). The oil should be hot enough to start with so that it sizzles as the falafel go in; then reduce the heat to low. Lift out with a slotted spatula and drain on kitchen paper. Serve with an Israeli salad and hot pitta bread.

Notes

• Before frying, sprinkle sesame seeds on the plate and lay the uncooked falafel on them, then sprinkle the tops with more sesame seeds.
• You can use chickpeas instead of broad beans for the more common Israeli version.
• Letting the falafel dough rest after grinding allows starch to seep out, making it easier for the balls to retain their shape.
• This recipe is suitable for baking, place the patties on a tray lined with baking paper and bake in a 180ºC / 350 F preheated oven for 15 to 20 minute, flipping them over halfway through.
• Chilling the mixture before cooking helps with the shaping.