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Falafel / Chickpea Fritters

Falafel / Chickpea Fritters- Protein and Fiber packed deep-fried balls or patties made with Chickpeas.
Falafel is a traditional Middle Eastern dish, commonly served in a pita or wrapped in a flatbread. The origin of Falafel is controversial, it is believed that Falafel started life in Egypt. Falafel plays an iconic role in Israeli cuisine and is widely considered to be the national dish of the country.
The version made with chickpeas is wildly popular. When made with chickpeas, Falafel is high in protein and fiber. Key nutrients are calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B, and folate. Falafel is high in soluble fiber, which has been shown to be effective in lowering blood cholesterol. They are very healthy but contain a considerable amount of fat which is absorbed during the frying process. Falafel can be baked also to reduce the high fat content associated with frying.
Falafel has become very popular among vegetarians and vegans. It’s a great source of protein for vegetarian people. These fritters are light green color inside. Hot and crunchy on the outside, fluffy and herby from inside, there are many ways of enjoying Falafel.
The Falafel balls, whole or crushed, may be topped with salads, pickled vegetables and hot sauce and drizzled with tahini sauces. As a main dish, it is served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles and tahini. Falafel patties can be used to make veggie burgers as well. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack.
Surprisingly this Middle- Eastern street food is very easy to make at home. Here is my recipe for Falafel. It’s greener and a little bit spicy than the regular Falafel. 
Read through this homemade Falafel recipe and see if you find it interesting enough to try. I am sure you would love it. If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo…. Can’t wait to see your photos! 

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Course: Snack/Starter
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Servings: 12
Cooking time: 40-50 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cup dried chickpeas
4 cloves minced garlic
½ onion, diced
½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 medium sized green chilli (optional)
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ tsp coriander powder
1 to 1½ teaspoon salt, or as per taste
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon corn flour 
2 tsp lemon juice
Olive oil as needed for frying
How to make Falafel:
  • You will need to soak dried chickpeas overnight. (Do not use canned beans)
  • Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl, cover these with 3 to 4 inches of cold water and let them soak at least overnight. Personally I think 24 hours is better but overnight soaking should be fine. They will be double in size after soaking.
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas nicely. Pour them into a food processor. Next add chopped onion, garlic cloves, coriander leaves, parsley, corn flour or chickpea flour, baking soda, salt, green chillis, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper and lemon juice.
  • Process all the ingredients together until a rough, coarse mixture forms. With a spoon or spetula, scrape everything down from the sides of the processor periodically. Process this mixture and end up with a very finely ground mixture but not a puree. Mixture should be ground enough to hold the shape.
  • Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, transfer it into a bowl, cover it with cling film or a lid and refrigerate it for 1 to 2 hours.
  • Moisture your fingers and make smooth round balls or patties from falafel mixture. I usually use about 2 tablespoon of the mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger as per your choice.
  • Heat oil in a deep pan just enough to half immerse the falafel.
  • Before frying my first batch of falafel, I always test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 5-6 minutes to brown. If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked from inside and will burn on the outside. Fry them at 350°F for about 5-6 minutes or until browned and crispy.
  • When the falafels are fried nicely, remove them from the pan using a slotted spoon and place them on absorbent kitchen paper. 
  • Serve Falafel hot; they go best with a plate of salad and hummus or creamy tahini sauce.

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