Protein rich, full flavored and light, these little Falafel gems are easy to prepare and not at all complicated. Since many of our featured recipes at the Pink Rhubarb are primarily designed for people new to cooking and for young chefs, we approach our recipe development with room to grow. Typically, Falafels are made with quite a bit of garlic, being sensitive myself to overpowering spices and strong flavors, we present options to suit all palates. This gives you the flexibility to modify and create recipes to suit your own tastes and explore different ways of building up flavors with subtlety. We believe cooking is an art which should be embraced with a sense of fun and experimentation. At our end of summer camp gathering, our counselor Kelani was the master maker of these delicious morsels. Supper terrific when served with Green Goddess Sauce they are a win-win especially when served as an appetizer, lunch or light supper and are a great alternative to meat.
falafel
20 (2) inch rounds
Ingredients
1 cup dried chickpeas or 1 can cooked (drained)
1/4 cup finely minced Red Onion
2 Tablespoons minced Parsley
1 Tablespoon minced Cilantro
1/4 teaspoon ground Red Pepper
1 Garlic clove, mashed
1-2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
4 -6 Tablespoons Flour (if gluten free try Chickpea Flour or Buckwheat Flour)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Salt
1½ cup Vegetable Oil ( for frying)
Instructions
If using dried Chickpeas, cover them with cool water and let soak in the refrigerate overnight. This makes for a drier Falafel and is very cost effective. If you are using canned chickpeas, drain them well.
Using a food processor or hand masher add the drained Chickpeas, Red Onion Parsley, Cilantro, Red Pepper, Garlic and Cumin together and pulse or smash until slightly smooth but still with small chunks of Chickpeas.
Add 4 Tablespoons of the Flour and the Baking Powder to the mixture and pulse or mush until it begins to form into a ball. You may need a bit more flour at this time to get the proper consistency. Season with Salt and Lemon. Stir together with a spatula just until the mixture holds together.
Shape into small 2 inch rounds and flatten them just a bit so they take the shape of an oblong patty. They can also be shaped much smaller or larger in size depending on how you would like to serve them.
Heat 3 inches of the Vegetable Oil in a heavy pan to 375°. Start with one Falafel to make sure the Oil is hot enough and that the mixture stays together. Add more flour if it begins to fall apart and needs to hold together more.
Fry 6-8 at a time making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Turn them when they start to brown after a few minutes adjusting the heat as needed. Drain on paper towels or a brown bag to absorb any excess oil.
Serve.
Notes
Serve with Tahini Sauce or Green Goddess Dressing.
Tahini Sauce is a classic Israeli condiment and doesn’t need a recipe because it is so incredibly easy to make. Simply thin a few tablespoons of Tahini (Sesame seed Paste) with Lemon Juice to make a light Sauce.
You can eat the Falafels in a Pita bread or over salad greens, as an appetizer with our Green Goddess Dressing which is amazing on anything.
Substitutions of Fava beans for the Chickpeas extends this recipe and honors an Egyptian preparation. Adding interest by offering additional condiments such as pickles, sauerkraut, Harissa Sauce adds a bit of authentic flavor to your dish.