Lebanese Falafel

If someone asks me what is that one thing you like to make again and again, I would say Falafel. Why? Because it is delicious, and on the other hand it is healthy too. It is made with Chickpeas which is a great source of protein and is also rich in fibre, calcium, iron, vitamin C, zinc, copper, manganese, and more. It is good to include in our everyday diet as it helps us to fulfil our required nutrient intake of the day. 

The best part is, you can serve them on its own as appetisers or can use them to make your main course dishes. Learn how to make this best and easy Falafel recipe which will make you crave for more and more. Here is how to make Falafel recipe.

What is Falafel?

Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish, which is made of chickpeas and is flavoured with fresh herbs such as parsley and cilantro. To make Falafel, chickpeas are soaked overnight or for a few hours and then ground to a coarse paste along with garlic and fresh herbs such as cilantro and coriander.

A few basic spices are also added in this mixture such as cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper which gives it a lovely earthy flavour, that is very hard to resist.

Traditionally, these Chickpea balls are deep fried, but now a days you can make it in various ways to make it healthy. You can either bake it in oven, which will give it a different texture but it tastes delicious too. You can also make it in Paniyaram pans, which uses a very little oil and also makes the Falafel crispy.

Originally, Falafel was made with Fava beans and it is still made in this way in Egypt and other Arab countries, but Israeli falafel is usually made from chickpeas only.

Also it is a great option for vegans, because it contains no meat and dairy. Therefore, it is also very popular among vegetarians and vegans.

Falafel Ingredients

What can I serve with Falafel?

Falafel is a very versatile dish, that can be served in various ways,

• You can serve Falafel as an appetiser with a middle eastern dip such as Hummus or Tahini dip.
• You can add Falafel in Pita pocket along with some tomato slices, greens, onions and hummus to make a lip smacking sandwich.
• Add Falafels to make a Mezze platter that includes Hummus, Tzatziki, Baba Ganoush, toasted Pita Bread and pickled cucumbers.
• You can make small Falafels and add them to your Green Salad. Just add lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, falafels in a bowl and flavour it with a tahini sauce.
• You can also stuff these Falafels into your wraps and rolls to make a fusion dish.

How to freeze Falafel?

Falafel freezes very well. You can bake Falafels, cool them completely and once they are ready, you can freeze them in ziplock bag or an air tight container for about 2 to 3 months.

When you want to use them again, take them out of the freezer and keep them out to reach to room temperature. Once they are ready to use, you can deep fry them.

Which oil is best to fry Falafel?

You can use oil such as Grape seed, sunflower, avocado, canola, and Peanut oil. All this works well for Falafel.

What if I don’t have a food processor?

If you don’t have a food processor, worry not, The idea is to pulse the ingredients to a coarse paste. You can do that in a chopper or even use pulse mode of your mixer and grinder.

How to make Falafel Step by Step

Wash the chickpeas well and soak them in 4-5 cups of water for 5-6 hours. Drain the water well from the chickpeas.

Add the soaked chickpeas in afood processor along with onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, cayenne, baking soda, lemon juice and chickpea flour.

Pulse until a coarse mixture is formed. Transfer this mixture in a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Use a cookie scoop and make small balls from the mixture.

Fry the falafel on medium high heat (350 Degrees F or 180 Degrees C) until browned from all the sides.

Remove on a plate lined with kitchen tissue. Serve hot.