If you’ve never eaten these wildly popular Middle Eastern fritters hot from the fryer, there’s a good argument that you’ve never really eaten falafel at all. Crisp on the outside, soft and fluffy within, and made from nutty pulses generously spiked with fresh herbs, a freshly cooked falafel is a world away from its chilly, doughy, high-street cousin.
Prep 30 min
Soak 8-12 hr
Chill 30 min +
Cook 5 min
Makes about 25
200g split skinless fava beans (see steps 1 and 2)
100g dried chickpeas
5 spring onions
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 big bunch coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1½ tsp Lebanese seven-spice (or ½ tsp ground black pepper and ¼ tsp each ground cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg)
1 tsp salt
Sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
½ tsp baking powder
4 tbsp sesame seeds
1 There’s more to falafel than just chickpeas
Though they tend to be made with chickpeas in much of the Middle East, in Egypt, where falafel is said to have originated, they favour dried broad beans, giving them a smoother, softer consistency. I favour a Lebanese-style mixture of the two, using the beans as a binder and the chickpeas to add texture and flavour.
2 Fava facts
Dried fava beans are easily found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean grocers and wholefood shops, and even more easily online, where you can even source British-grown beans from the Norfolk-based Hodmedods: go for ready-shelled split versions, if possible, to save yourself a fiddly, if very simple job. Interesting fact: fava beans have been grown here since the Iron Age.
3 Soak and wait
Put the fava beans and chickpeas in separate bowls and cover both generously with cold water. Leave to soak overnight, or for about eight to 12 hours (if you need to leave them longer, refrigerate the bowls so the pulses don’t start to ferment), then drain, again keeping the two separate. Tip on to clean tea towels and roughly dry.
4 Pulse those pulses
Put all the beans and about half of the chickpeas into a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth: remember, they’re still raw and crunchy, so don’t push your machine too hard by leaving it running continuously. If you don’t have a food processor, improvise with a potato masher, pestle and mortar or a fork – and a lot of elbow grease.
5 Add the herbs
Finely slice the spring onions and crush or mince the garlic. Remove the coarse stems from the parsley, then roughly chop the leaves along with the coriander (you can leave the stalks on the latter, unless they’re very dirty). Add to the food processor with the spices, salt and remaining chickpeas, and whizz or mix just to roughly combine: the mixture should still be lumpy.
6 Test the mix
Heat a dash of oil in a small pan over a medium-high heat and fry a teaspoon of the mixture until crisp; leave to cool a little, then taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary. Stir in the baking powder (this will make the falafel extra-fluffy), then chill the mixture for at least 30 minutes – this will make it easier to shape.
7 Shape the falafel
Wet your hands, then roll dessert spoons of the mixture into small, flattish balls or ovals about 5-6cm across. Pour the sesame seeds on to a plate and roll the balls across them until lightly coated. Fill a heavy-based, deep pan about a third full of oil and heat to about 180C (or use a deep-fat fryer to do the same).
8 Time to fry
Fry the falafel in batches until crisp and golden (about five minutes), turning once, then drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt. Keep the cooked falafel warm in a low oven while you repeat with the rest of the mix, then serve as quickly as possible in flatbreads with crunchy salad, and preferably some pickles and tahini sauce (see step 9).
9 The sauce
To make tahini sauce, blend 75g light tahini paste with a crushed clove of garlic, the juice of half a lemon, and just enough water to give it a pourable consistency. Season to taste; you may also like to add more garlic or lemon juice, if you think it needs it. This sauce keeps well in the fridge, so you can make it in advance, if you like.
