Unlike most of America’s other favorite fast foods, falafel
is rarely attempted at home, which is a shame, since it’s very simple to do,
and even a relative novice like me can get some very decent results. One word
of warning: you do need to know you’re going to have a craving for this a full
day before you actually want to eat it.
Whipping up a batch of these after a late night at the bar
is not going to work, since soaking the dry beans overnight is a crucial step.
While you can use canned beans for this, word on the street is not to do it. Those
are cooked, and apparently just aren’t as good.
No matter what method you use to cook yours, I think you’ll
be surprised how close this is to your favorite falafel stand, assuming they
used the exact ingredients and amounts I did, which may not be the case. So, be
sure to taste and adjust until you get it just right. I really hope you get
this try very soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 12 falafel balls:
1 cup dried garbanzo beans aka chickpeas
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 rounded tablespoon flour
2 tsp lemon juice
- Fry at 350°F for about 5 minutes or until browned and
crispy