Falafel
Last week during the Vegan Challenge on MasterChef I made falafel and won the immunity pin! Yes they were that good 😀 I am sharing the recipe I used for these delicious morsels of chickpea goodness. These were so good, Chef Aaron Sanchez said the following:
This recipe is not traditional in that it begins with canned chickpeas. Please understand that while in the MasterChef kitchen there is not enough time to soak, cook and process dried chickpeas. So I found a way that works beautifully within the time constraints. It does have a bit of added flour but the end result will be delicious. Moisture will break this recipe so please be sure to dry all ingredients as indicated in the recipe. If your onion is very moist, you can drain some of the liquid off before you begin by processing it first. The batter must rest or they will fall apart in the oil.
The accompaniments are just as important as the falafel. If you want to make your own bread, try my pita recipe https://amandasplate.com/easy-homemade-pita-bread/ 😀
Tips for this recipe: -Use a 1 tablespoon scoop to form the falafel.
-Adjust flour to ensure enough binding. You want a playdough like consistency.
-Be sure to dry the drained chickpeas, cilantro and parsley. This will help everything bind without additional flour.
-The falafel can be fully frozen ahead of time. Allow 5 minutes out of the freezer before frying.
An important component is the tahini sauce, which we call tarator. The recipe is simple. Mix together 2 tablespoons tahini with 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon yogurt and salt. If it is too thick (every tahini brand is different) add an additional tablespoon water.
Falafel
Ingredients
- 1 16oz can chickpeas rinsed and dried well with paper towel
- 1 cup parsley leaves, stems removed washed and dried
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves washed and dried
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small onion, quartered about a 1/4 cup
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2-3 tablespoons chickpea or AP flour
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- neutral oil for frying I use avocado
Instructions
- Place chickpeas, parsley, garlic, onions and cilnatro in food processor and pulse until a fine mixture. Add seasonings, baking soda, sesame seeds and flour. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Using a 1 tablespoon scope (this sizing is important) scoop falafel and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for 10 minutes to set. Remove from freezer and gently press centers.
- Heat oil to 350 degrees F. Drop falafel in hot oil. Fry until brown and cooked thru-about 6 minutes.
- Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Serve with Tahini sauce and vegetables and enjoy 🙂
Enjoy! Xo,
