Easy Falafel Recipe (baked or fried)
This deliciously crispy falafel recipe is quick and easy to make, high-protein and you can bake these instead of frying!
Ingredients
- 200 grams soft pressure cooked chickpeas from the dry packet, NOT from the can
- 70 grams fresh coriander
- 10 grams fresh parsley
- 10 grams fresh basil
- 10 grams fresh dill
- 100 grams onion chopped
- 15 grams garlic cloves
- 1/2 green chilli chopped, or less if you'd like it less spicy
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds whole
- 1/2 tsp coriander seeds whole
- 1 tsp sesame seeds white
- 2 tbsp lemon juice split into two separate bowls
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp oregano dry flakes
- 1/4 tsp thyme dry flakes
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 2.5 tbsps all-purpose flour rice or chickpea flour for GF replacements
- Unrefined avocado oil for deep frying
Instructions
- If you have not done so already, pressure cook the dry chickpeas until they are soft and tender. Strain them and keep aside.
- In a frying pan, toast the sesame seeds, cumin seeds and coriander seeds over high heat for a few mins until brown and fragrant.
- Pour the seeds in a pestle and mortar to crush them into a powder. Keep this powdered mixture aside.
- In a high-powered food processor, place the drained chickpeas, chopped coriander, parsley, dill, basil, onion, garlic, chilli and half of the lemon juice (1 tbsp). Blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl, and add the spices from the pestle and mortar, as well as the spices for seasoning (salt, oregano, thyme, chilli powder, paprika and pepper)
- You can mix this mixture with your hand to blend it thoroughly. Give it a taste to see if you need to add more salt or chilli powder here.
- Finally, sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and the remaining half of the lemon juice. Mix again until everything is fully combined.
- (optional) you can place this mixture in the fridge for up to an hour, or, you can use it straight away.
- In a cast iron kadai, or balti dish, add the unrefined avocado oil and heat it up. You can test if this oil is hot enough for frying by placing a little of the falafel mixture in it. If it starts bubbling and browing immediately, it's ready.
- Deep fry only 2 or 3 round falafels at a time. I use the falafel scoop from my Amazon store, and it makes this step so much easier. You can bake these as well, for 30 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius. Once you take them out of the oven, it must cool down for at least 10-20 minutes in order to crisp up.
- For frying: once the falafels are crispy brown, strain them with the straining utensil (also available in my Amazon store) and place it on a kitchen towel to dry and cool.
- Serve these falafels hot with a parsley salad or a beetroot salad made with fresh kale, red onion, oranges, pomegranate, lettuce and crumbled feta cheese - with a spritz of olive oil!