Falafel

This is easy to make.  Since there is no egg base, the patties
need to chill for several hours before frying them in hot oil.
They will fall apart a bit, turn carefully.
I make them in the early morning, chill for dinner.
This recipe is for every can of garbanzos you use:
 
1 can chick peas drained well
2 tbs flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
palmful of parsley, dried or fresh
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
few flakes of hot pepper
 
Put in all food processor and pulse till crumbly.
Make a ball, then flatten to a small patties, refrigerate for a few hours.
In hot oil, fry them 2-3 minutes each side, turn just once.
Serve in pita with the hummus, tomato or just plain.
 
 

 
 

 

 
 

That looks really great, I have never had a good recipe to do at home.. I will do this at home. thanks!!!

I love falafel! Thanks for the recipe...

You're welcome!
Some prefer taking the mix and chilling that, then making the patties.
I make the patties first, then chill.
Whatever is easiest for you......

Do you buy your hummus?If so, what brand do you prefer...Ann

I will use your recipe.  I tried falafel from a box I found at a middle eastern store once and it burned my mouth.  Not because of the heat, it just seemed like somebody put too many spices to go with the amount of food,if that makes any sense.  Your recipe looks fresh and simple.  Thanks!

I've never seen a recipe for Falafel using canned Chick Peas. I guess that would be faster and a bit more convenient then soaking a pound or so over night and then grinding them.
 
I use a good bit more parsley and always grate a raw medium sized russet potato into my Falafels, and instead of red pepper flakes I finely chop a Jalapeno pepper and add that.
 
I don't usually chill the mixture at all, must be the potato, and I always leave mine in a ball shape a little smaller than a golf ball.
 
Since I don't chill mine, I never add the baking powder until just before I am going to fry them. I find that my Falafels freeze beautifully, I just scoop the mixture into Ziplocs right from the food processor (again I don't add the baking powder until it's been thawed and ready to be cooked) and into the freezer they go. Not sure how well they would freeze using canned Chick Peas.
 
My recipe comes from a Jordanian friend Shaden, she swears it comes from a street vender her family knows in Jordan.
 
I think I posted it quite awhile back here on Roadfood......

Here is Shaden's recipe:

2lbs Chickpeas (soaked overnight in cold water, change the water several times)
4 Bunches Italian Parsley coarsely chopped (use the leaves and the very tender stems)
1 Russet Potato (grated)
2-4 Jalapeno Peppers coarsely chopped (stemmed and seeded)
1 Large onion (coarsely chopped)
4-6 Cloves of garlic (coarsely chopped)
Salt to taste (a couple tablespoons Kosher)
Cumin (at least 1-2 tablespoons basically to taste)

Baking Powder

The rest is easy. You'll have to put the ingredients into a food processor in batches. I normally place a couple cups of the chickpeas and a bit of everything else in my processor and let it rip until that batch is the finely chopped, and repeat until all the ingredients have been pureed. Place each batch in a very large mixing bowl and mix well.

You can freeze the Falafel at this point in batches.

The next trick is frying them, just before you are ready to fry them, add baking powder to the batch. I use approximately 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of Falafel mix. You'll have to experiment with the baking powder cuz she never gave me an exact measurement....

Heat up a few cups of frying oil (I use Peanut Oil) to around 350-375 degrees.

Roll the Falafel mix into small golf ball shaped balls, they maybe a little wet, just squeeze the excess moisture out and gently place them into the oil. Work quickly so that they cook evenly, don’t over crowd the oil....fry them until they are a nice golden brown.

I like my Falafels loaded, and I like to use that Afghan flat bread (I think its Afghan) it comes in thin sheets, and I roll the Falafels up like a burrito.

But Pita is almost as good.

All the normal toppings go in mine...fresh tomatoes, onions, pickles, thinly sliced fresh Jalapenos, thinly slice lemon, thinly sliced cucumbers, lettuce, basically per Shaden put whatever you like in them. One thing you have to have though is Tahini Sauce and yogurt/mint sauce....she uses a special kind of yogurt called Bahini (I may have spelled this wrong) it's very similar to the Greek yogurt you can find in most grocery stores these days. I don't have a recipe for the Tahini sauce or the yogurt, I sort of wing it and it comes out different every time.

Oh yeah, after the Falafel comes out of the oil and before placing it in the sandwhich you have to smash the ball, not completely flat, but just a little.

Tahini Sauce

Some Tahini
Lemon Juice
Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt
A pinch or two of cayenne

Mix everything together adding lemon juice or Oil to thin it out until it tastes good and you have as much Sauce as you need.

Yogurt/Mint Sauce

Good Greek Yogurt or Bahini (sp) 1 Container
A couple teaspoons mint chopped finely
Salt
Pepper
Good Olive Oil

Mix everything together adjusting things until it tastes good and is the right consistency.

The Falafels are also excellent made into a salad with all the toppings, minus the bread.