I have been working at this for weeks now trying to make a falafel that does not taste like sawdust. I looked at all types of recipes but I found that there are two types of falafels, one made with chickpeas and one made with fava beans, along with a variety of seeds, nuts, and herbs. So, I have been playing combinations of all these recipes and this is the one I landed on. I think it’s still a work in progress but I wanted to get feedback before I change it – Thoughts?
Ingredients
Falafel
1, 15oz can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (save the chickpea water)
1, 15oz can of fava beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup of pistachios
6 shallots, diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
A handful of fresh Italian Parsley, chopped and stems removed
A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped and stems removed
¼ cup of chickpea flour
tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ to 1 teaspoon of ground chili powder of choice
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon of ground cardamom
Salt and Pepper to taste
Avocado Oil
Tahini Sauce
Hummus
Pita Bread
1 cup of the following in small dice, tomatoes, onions, red bell pepper, cucumber
Diced Greens
Directions
Falafel
Place in the food processor pistachios and garlic, pulse, and drizzle with oil. Once a small ground has been achieved, add chickpeas, fava bean, shallots, half the herbs, cumin, turmeric, chili and cardamom, pulse until well blended but not pureed. Now add the flour, baking powder, starch, and pulse until a ball starts to form. Remove mixture to a bowl, form into a large ball, cover, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours to overnight.
Form into balls, about a 1 to 1 ½ inch in size. Now you can either fry them or bake them. To bake preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place falafel on the baking sheet along with a ramekin filled with water and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until set and golden brown, remove and let cool.
To fry, heat about 3 inches of oil in a small skillet, working in small batches, fry about 2 to 3 minutes, until golden, repeat until done.
Place some hummus in the middle of the pitas, add some falafel and garnish with diced veggies, drizzle with tahini – enjoy