Chef notes
Traditional falafel is one of my favorite things in the world. This recipe is a much lighter, healthier version that satisfies my cravings without all the deep-frying mess.
Technique tip: Don't skip the baking soda! The combo of baking soda and lemon insures a fluffy interior.
Swap option: I personally haven't tried them with other beans but I don't see why they wouldn't work!
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas, divided
- 1 cup fresh parsley, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 small red onion, roughly chopped, divided
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, divided
- 1½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Salt, to taste
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup water
Preparation
For the falafel:
1.Working in two batches, add half of the chickpeas, parsley, garlic, onion and cilantro to a food processor and blend until you are left with a paste that's not completely smooth but holds together when pinched. Place the mixture in a bowl and repeat the process with the other half of the ingredients.
2.In a small, dry skillet, add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds and toast until fragrant, then place them in a mortar and pestle and grind them until almost smooth. Place in the bowl with the ground chickpeas mixture along with the cayenne, lemon juice, flour, baking soda and salt, mix until well-combined, cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for about an hour.
3.Preheat your oven to 400°F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
4.Form 2-inch patties (not too thin) out of the chilled mixture, place them on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle the tops with a touch more oil.
5.Bake for 15 minutes, flip and bake for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
For the tahini sauce:
In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and salt. The tahini will start to seize and get thick and dry (this is normal!), so start adding the water a little at a time and it will loosen back up to create a thick, pale gray sauce.
To serve:
Either serve the falafels on a salad drizzled with the lemony tahini or piled in a pita with lettuce, tomatoes and onions.
