These golden and crispy falafels with a tender interior are a true explosion of oriental flavors. Prepared with dried chickpeas and fresh herbs, they make a delicious and budget-friendly vegetarian dish, perfect for a convivial meal or an indulgent appetizer.
⏱️50 min
📊Medium
👥4 servings
🍽️Main
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfamily
Ingredients
400 gdried chickpeas
1 piècered onion
4 goussesgarlic
80 gfresh parsley
50 gfresh cilantro
60 gwheat flour
1.5 cuillère à caféground cumin
1 cuillère à caféground coriander
0.5 cuillère à cafécayenne pepper
1 cuillère à cafésalt
0.5 cuillère à caféblack pepper
1 cuillère à cafébaking powder
1 litrepeanut oil
Instructions
1SOAKING THE CHICKPEAS: Pour the dried chickpeas into a bowl and cover them with cold water. Soak for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight, until they are fully swollen. Important: the chickpeas must remain raw, do not cook them. After soaking, drain them thoroughly and dry them well with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which will ensure crispier falafels.
2PREPARING THE AROMATIC INGREDIENTS: Peel the red onion and garlic cloves, then chop them into pieces. Wash the parsley and fresh cilantro, then wring them out well to remove any moisture. Finely chop the fresh herbs, as they provide the characteristic falafel flavor. This step is crucial for achieving a homogeneous texture and harmonious taste in your preparation.
3MIXING THE BATTER: In a food processor, add the drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Blend until you achieve a grainy paste resembling coarse breadcrumbs, not a smooth purée. Stop regularly to check the texture with a fork. This particular texture is essential because it allows the falafels to hold together during cooking and achieve that characteristic crispy texture.
4SEASONING AND RESTING: Transfer the batter to a bowl and add the wheat flour, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper, and baking powder. Mix vigorously by hand for 2-3 minutes to incorporate all seasonings evenly. Cover the bowl and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This resting time allows the batter to become more compact and makes shaping the falafels easier.
5SHAPING THE FALAFELS: Pour the peanut oil into a deep fryer or heavy pot and preheat to 170-175°C. Meanwhile, scoop approximately one tablespoon of batter with a moistened teaspoon, then gently roll it between your wet hands to form regular balls about the size of a walnut. You can also use a cookie scoop for better consistency. Place each falafel on a plate while checking that your oil has reached the proper temperature.
6FRYING: Gently immerse 5-6 falafels at a time into the hot oil at 170-175°C, without overcrowding the pan to maintain the temperature. Cook for 4-5 minutes, gently stirring with a slotted spoon to ensure even cooking. The falafels are done when they are a beautiful deep golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove them with the slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Continue with the remaining portions.
7SERVING AND ACCOMPANIMENTS: Serve the falafels hot in warmed pita bread with generous tahini sauce or lemon yogurt, tomato slices, cucumber, lettuce, and marinated red onions. You can also present them on an appetizer platter with fresh herb dip. Falafels are best consumed fresh and hot, but can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the oven at 160°C for 10 minutes to restore their crispiness.