Recipe: Falafel!

Falafel is a popular middle eastern recipe made from ground chickpeas with herbs and spices. It can be eaten as a snack, appetizer or as part of a meal. This is personally one of my favorite street foods!

                             

 Ingredients 

  • 1 cup dried Chickpeas (don’t use canned chickpeas)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  •  1 tsp Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Cardamom,
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 small Green chile pepper (Serrano pepper)
  • 1/2 cup Onion
  • 2 tbsp Chickpea flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • Avocado oil for frying

Dough Mixture Directions

  1. Soak dried chickpeas overnight or for at least 8-12 hours then drain.
  2. Add all ingredients to a food processor but do not blend completely.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl then add chickpea flour and baking soda. Stir it together until its fully combined and cover with a plastic wrap or lid.
  4. Place the bowl in the fridge and chill the mixture for 30 minutes to an hour.
  5. Shape your falafel by hand or with a cookie scoop. It can be shaped like round balls or flat patty shapes. place on a plate after shaping.

Cooking directions

Falafel can be deep fried, pan fried or baked.

       To deep fry heat about 3 inches of oil in a pot on medium heat to 350F. Once the oil has reached temperature, gently drop 6-8 balls into the oil at a time. let them cook until golden on the outside. Use a skimmer to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

       To pan fry heat a few tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium high heat, Gently place the falafel in a pan and cook each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden, then transfer to a towel lined plate.

      To bake preheat your oven to 425F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. Place the falafel on the baking sheet and lightly brush the top side with oil and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of https://downshiftology.com/recipes/falafel/