This recipe is from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook. I have to say I was not sure about this recipe. I was worried that the chickpeas would not cook enough in the oil and frankly for a Southern girl I do not deep too many foods, so I was kind worried about burning down the house. In the end Mark Bittman did not let me down, as these were delicious. I am not including the calories on these as I am not sure how to calculate for the cooking oil. As always I have made some minor changes, but to learn what those you are going to have to buy the book!
1 3/4 cups dried chickpeas (will need to be soaked for 24 hours)
2 cloves of garlic
1 shallot, quartered
1 teaspoon ground corriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 scant teaspoon ground red pepper, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
oil for frying
- Pour the beans into a large pot and cover them water, about 3 to 4 inches over. Soak for 24 hours. They will triple in size. Check them a couple of times to see if you need to add more water to keep the level at just about 3 to 4 inches above the chickpeas.
- Drain the beans well and transfer them to a food processor along with the remaining ingredients (except the oil, of course). Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary. If needed, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water (I did not need it) to allow the machine to do its work, but keep the mixture on the dry side.
- Pour about 2 inches of oil into a very deep, but narrow saucepan. The narrower the pan, the less oil you will need. Heat the oil on medium heat until it reached 350°F or when a pinch of the batter sizzles immediately.
- While the oil heats, scoop out large spoon fulls of the batter and form them into balls or large patties. Set them near the oil on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Fry in small batches, without crowding until nicely browned, turning as needed; total cooking time 5 minutes per batch. Carefully remove each falafel from the oil and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve warm in pita bread with Tzatziki Sauce and feta cheese.
This looks great. I like adding a bunch of fresh cilantro to the mixture as well (before pulsing).
ReplyDeleteI haven't made felafel from scratch in a long while. It's one of the few foods I prefer to eat out (along with sushi).
Thanks for sharing!