The store cupboards at Sluttery HQ are full of chickpeas, so I can't believe we haven't got round to showing you how easy it is to make falafel. A tin of chickpeas blitzed with onion, garlic, herbs and spices will give you delicious, fresh falafel that you can have hot for dinner or cold for lunch. Making your own means you can avoid the sneaky raisins and apricots you can get in shop bought ones. Nothing worse that a stealthy dried fruit. Brr.Add fresh chilli for a hotter taste, or mint leaves and lemon juice for a zingier result, or dried apricots if you enjoy ruining perfectly good food.
Falafel (makes 10-12)
You will need:
- Tin of chickpeas, drained
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- Small handful of coriander, chopped
- 2 heaped tbsp flour
- Sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp oil
- Pulse the chickpeas in a food processor until roughly blitzed. You want some texture so stop before it's a smooth paste.
- Add the garlic, spring onions, spices and herbs and give it another quick blitz. If you don't have a food processor, mash the chickpeas with a potato masher and stir in the other ingredients. Season to taste.
- Mix in the flour until the mixture is less wet and sloppy. Chill in the fridge for half an hour so it can firm up a little more.
- Sprinkle some sesame seeds on a plate. Take a tablespoon of the mixture, roll into balls, then shape into a patty and turn in the sesame seeds.
- Heat the oil over a medium heat. Fry the falafel in batches for 8 minutes, turning once. Alternatively, bake in the oven at 190C/gas mark 5 for 25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
- Serve with salad, pitta and hummous, tzatziki or tahini sauce.
Whenever we make falafel we struggle with them falling apart and turn to mush in the frying pan - any tips on avoiding this? ~ Sara
ReplyDeleteHi Sara - I found that adding flour really helped them keep their shape. Breadcrumbs would probably do an even better job. Chill the mix for at least half an hour, longer if possible. Don't make the patties too thick - about 1cm - and don't turn them until the bottom is thoroughly cooked, after 4 mins or so.
ReplyDeleteFinally, if mine look like they're falling apart in the pan, I whip them out and put them in the oven. Good luck!
Yum! Thank you, I needed an easy recipe for this.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea, falafels were so easy to make and for some reason, thought it involved deep frying.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant to discover they are baked! Another recipe to try out!Thanks!