Ingredients
1 cup dry chickpeas
1/2 tsp and 1/4 tsp baking soda, divided
2 T coarsely chopped garlic
1/4 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup coarsely chopped green onion (green and white parts)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
pinch cayenne
2 T all-purpose flour
raw sesame seeds (for sprinkling on falafel before cooking)
2 cups canola oil (for frying)
Steps
- Sort, rinse, and soak the beans overnight (eight hours) on counter, uncovered, in 4 cups cold water with 1/2 tsp. baking soda.
- Drain and rinse beans, then spread out on a kitchen towel and pat dry. You want them as dry as possible to help the patties hold together when cooking.
- Put beans, garlic, both onions, parsley, and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then scrape down sides of bowl. Pulse again until the beans are ground but not pureed. You should be able to take a small handful, squeeze it, and have it hold together.
- Transfer the mix to a bowl and add the salt, spices, flour, and 1/4 tsp. baking soda. Mix well, then form into patties. I use a 2 T measuring spoon, slightly mounded, and I squeeze several times, rotating the ball, until it's a nice, compact rounded shape (kind of like a donut hole).
- Put patties on a cookie sheet (the recipe says "lined with plastic," but I've done it without). When you have formed them all, sprinkle with raw sesame seeds.
- Heat oil to 375 in a saucepan or wok. (You'll know it's ready when a small piece of chickpea mixture starts bubbling when it hits the oil.) Fry 4-5 patties at a time for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. I roll them over a few times while frying to evenly brown. When done, remove them with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the oil. Keep warm but not covered.
- Serve with warm pita bread and tahini sauce. They can be served as an appetizer, but they're also great stuffed inside pita as a sandwich.