Falafel

I have two versions of falafel, both of which work. Truthfully, I prefer the second version because the remainders can be converted to hummus, which makes the best side to this dish. So the first one uses canned chickpeas, which is great when you haven’t planned ahead (yo, shit happens). The second requires overnight soaking.

Falafel One:

1 can chickpeas, drained

2 T Cashews

4 Cloves garlic

1 onion

Pulse in a food processor until crumbly. Then add:

The juice of 1 lemon

4 T olive oil

a handful of Parsely

salt & pepper

Blend to a paste and then shape into balls. When you are ready to cook, heat a non-stick (that’s important) pan with about ½ inch deep Olive Oil. Take the oil to heat, but not to smoke. Using thongs, drop them into the oil. DO NOT MOVE THEM until you see a light brown crust forming on the bottom, otherwise they will break apart. Once this crust has formed, roll the balls lightly to brown and crust on all sides.

Pull from the pan and drain on a paper towel or paper bag.

Falafel Two:

Soak a bag of dried chickpeas in water with 4 garlic cloves overnight, or for a few days. When you are ready to make falafel, drain the water, but save the garlic.

Pulse both in a food processor until crumbly. Add olive oil in a slow stream until the crumble smooths out—but do not take it to a creamy texture. You want there to be a rougher texture than hummus. Pull out half of the mixture and set aside. Put the remaining half in a bowl.

Season with:

A dash of Cumin

A dash of Coriander

A dash of Paprika

A pinch of Salt

Add 4 T or so of garbanzo flour and stir until you have a pasty-dough. It will be wet and stick together, but should not be sticky. Shape and fry as above.