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4.96 from 22 votes

Falafel

Falafel is one of Middle East’s most popular dishes, it’s naturally vegan, healthy and incredibly delicious!
Author Diana
Servings 24 falafel balls
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the falafel:

  • 1 pound (450 grams) chickpeas soaked in water overnight (not cooked)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ green chili
  • ½ cup parsley
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon baharat spice mix
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda or baking powder
  • sunflower or corn oil for frying

For the tahini dip (tartoor sauce):

  • ½ cup tahini
  • ½ cup water you might need to add more (preferably cold)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 clove garlic crushed
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

To make the falafel

  • In a food processor, blitz all of the falafel ingredients (except for the baking soda) until you get a smooth consistency.
  • Chill the mixture in the fridge for 15 minutes. Then take it out and fix in the baking soda.
  • Heat the oil in a wok or a dutch oven, let it reach 170-180°C (340-350°F) then create a ball shape falafel and drop them in the hot oil. Fry every 4-6 falafels at once for 4 minutes.
  • Don't step away while frying the falafel as they can burn easily and make sure that the temperature of the oil is consistent. When they're ready, dry them on kitchen towels so that the excess oil is absorbed. Serve warm.

To make the tahini sauce (tartoor dip)

  • In a small bowl, add tahini with water and mix using a spoon. The tahini will absorb the water. Then add lemon juice, and whisk. This is when the sauce will brighten up. Mix in garlic, and add salt. Add more water if the sauce is too thick.

Notes

  • Only add the baking soda 5 minutes before frying. If you don't have baking soda, you can use baking powder instead. Don't skip this ingredient as it helps your falafel become airy and soft rather than tough and dense.
  • If you plan on freezing the falafel mixture, don't add the spices or the baking soda.
  • If your falafel starts falling apart while frying, it means that your oil isn't hot enough.
  • Fry 4-6 pieces together at most at a time.
  • You can change the amounts of the seasonings used if there is a particular taste that you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1falafel ball | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 1.6mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/falafel/