How to make authentic Falafel recipe
Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish that consists of deep-fried balls or patties made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, or a combination of both. The main ingredients are typically soaked and ground legumes, combined with herbs, spices, and onions. Common seasonings include cumin, coriander, garlic, and parsley, contributing to the distinctive flavor.
The mixture is shaped into small balls or patties and deep-fried until golden brown, resulting in a crispy exterior and a flavorful, moist interior. Falafel is often served in a pita bread or flatbread and accompanied by various toppings and sauces, such as tahini, yogurt, tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Soaking Chickpeas
Place dried chickpeas in a large bowl, cover with water, and let them soak overnight. The chickpeas will double in size.
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Preparing Mixture
- Drain the soaked chickpeas and pat them dry.
- In a food processor, combine chickpeas, coriander leaves garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, tahini paste, salt, and paprika powder.
- Blend until the mixture becomes a coarse paste.
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Resting the Mixture
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. This helps the flavors meld.
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Frying
If the mixture is too wet, add flour to help bind it. Form the mixture into small balls or patties, about 1.5 inches in diameter.
Coat the balls with the bread crumbs and keep aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F (180°C). Carefully place falafel into the hot oil, frying until golden brown on all sides. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Once cooked, transfer falafel to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
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Serve the falafel
Serve falafel hot with pita bread and your favorite toppings like tahini sauce, yogurt, tomatoes, cucumbers, and pickles.
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 176kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 4.5g7%
- Saturated Fat 1.29g7%
- Sodium 869mg37%
- Potassium 311mg9%
- Total Carbohydrate 6.5g3%
- Dietary Fiber 9.2g37%
- Sugars 3g
- Protein 9.5g19%
- Calcium 91 mg
- Iron 4 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
You can use egg for coating before bread crumbs.
Can also add onions or shallots and other herbs too. Tahini paste adds a contemporary flavor that gives a rich flavor to the falafel.
Refrigerating the mixture before frying is very important to gel the flavors as well the patty to hold together.