Easy Homemade Falafel (Baked and Fried)

I've been experimenting a lot these days trying to photograph appetisers and main course dishes. The very first thing I made for photography were these Falafels. I love Middle Eastern food. I learnt a lot about the cuisine while I was interning at the JW Marriott. We had a huge spread every Sunday for brunch and I used to assist the chef on Saturday prepping for it. What first caught my eye were the mezze platters. These are assortments of dips, spreads, breads, fruits and vegetables. From falafel to apricots to cucumbers to hummus to lavaash... this platter has everything! Not only are they awesome to look at, they taste absolutely amazing too.

Let's talk a bit more about falafel. These soft on the inside and crispy on the outside fritters are commonly eaten in two ways : inserted in pita pockets with hummus or just served along with tahini. They are usually small and patty-shaped. I have made them round, but you can do either. They are made from ground chickpeas. These chickpeas are soaked overnight and used directly. A lot of recipes call for lots of greens in the falafel dough. It totally depends upon you if you want to add greens or not.

Only falafel dries out your throat, so I recommend having it with a dip. Tahini is easy to make and uses very basic ingredients. I will be uploading a tahini recipe soon on the blog, stay tuned!

Let's get started with the recipe!

1. Soak chickpeas overnight.

2. Next day, drain the chickpeas and let them dry for at least 2 hours.

3. In a food processor, combine soaked chickpeas, coriander, mint, garlic, onion, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, baking soda, sesame seeds, salt & pepper. Blend.

4. Once you get a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl.

5. Add gram flour to adjust consistency.

6. Mix well and your dough is ready. The consistency should be such that when you form round balls, it must not loose shape.

7. Portion and shape into round balls or patties.

8. For cooking:

a. Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

b. Place the balls on a tray lined with parchment paper. Grease them well and bake at 180 C for 30 mins or until cooked.

9. Serve hot with dips.

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EASY HOMEMADE FALAFEL

Prep time : 10 minutes

Baking time : 30 minutes

Total time : 40 minutes

Yields : 40 nos. medium sized

Ingredients :

Chickpeas - 1 1/4 cup

Water - 4 cups

Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch

Mint - 1/8 cup

Garlic - 3 nos

Onion - 1 medium sized

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Cumin powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Sesame seeds - 1/2 tbsp

Salt & Pepper to taste

Gram Flour - 2 to 3 tbsp

Method :

1. Soak chickpeas in water overnight.

2. Next day, drain the chickpeas and let them dry for at least 2 hours.

3. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, coriander leaves, mint, garlic, onion, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, baking soda, sesame seeds, salt and pepper.

4. Blend to a smooth paste.

5. Transfer to a bowl and add gram flour accordingly to adjust consistency.

6. Mix well and the dough is ready. The consistency of the batter should be such that when you form round balls, it must not loose shape.

7. Portion and shape into round balls or patties.

8. For cooking, either deep fry until golden brown or place the falafel on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Grease them with oil and bake at 180 C for 30 mins for until cooked.

9. Serve hot with dips.

Aren't these super easy to make and tasty?