Crispy Falafel

Method

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1. Drain the soaked chickpeas thoroughly and spread them on a tea towel to dry for 15 minutes. They should have roughly tripled in size and be soft enough to crush but still raw.

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2. Put the chickpeas, onion, garlic and both herbs in a food processor and pulse — do not blend — until the mixture resembles coarse, damp couscous. Work in two batches for an even texture.

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3. Tip into a bowl and mix in the cumin, ground coriander, chilli, salt and pepper.

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4. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This lets the starch hydrate and the mixture firm up.

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5. Just before frying, mix in the bicarbonate of soda and sesame seeds. Adding it early makes the falafel dense.

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6. Squeeze the mixture firmly into walnut-sized balls or patties. If it will not hold, pulse a small portion again to release more starch.

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7. Heat the oil to 175°C / 350°F. Fry a test falafel — if it breaks up, chill the mixture longer or pulse it finer.

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8. Fry six at a time for 3 to 4 minutes until deep brown and crisp, turning once.

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9. Drain on a rack and serve immediately in warm pita with tahini sauce, tomato and pickles.

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Chef’s Tips

• Never use tinned chickpeas. It is the one rule that cannot be broken.
• Pulse, do not purée. A smooth paste fries into dense, heavy falafel.
• The mixture can be made a day ahead; add the bicarbonate only at the moment of frying.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Mint tea or a cold lager
• Serve with hummus, tahini sauce and pickled vegetables
• Follow with baklava

Storage & Reheating

The raw mixture keeps 2 days refrigerated and freezes 2 months. Fried falafel keeps 2 days; re-crisp at 200°C / 390°F for 6 minutes.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.