I have to admit, I was never a big Falafel fan growing up in the United Arab Emirates. With the abundance of Lamb, Chicken & Beef Kebabs, the Falafel simply couldn’t compete. I have a strong feeling though that recipe will delight meat lovers and vegetarians alike. And, this recipe is also vegan and gluten free. How amazing is this?

Falafel is made with Chickpeas and/or Fava beans, garlic, spices, salt & pepper and a whole bunch of herbs. Once deep fried, this results in a crispy exterior with a coarse, grainy, herby interior. Don’t forget to also check out my deconstructed Falafel salad video using the same ingredients as a base.

Falafel

3.13 from 40 votes
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Ingredients
  

  • 250 gms dry Chickpeas
  • 1 cup Onion
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 tbsp green Chilli
  • 1 cup Parsley
  • 1 cup Coriander
  • 1/2 cup Dill
  • 1/2 cup Mint
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp Clove powder
  • 1 tsp Aleppo Pepper or Chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp each Salt & Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Gram flour
  • White Sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Soak the chickpeas overnight in water and drain
  • Add to a food processor with the onion, garlic, green chilli, half the herbs and the spices, salt, pepper and process
  • Add the other half and continue to process depending on the size of your food processor
  • Add the baking soda and gram flour
  • The mixture should be gritty, however, it should be damp and hold together when you form a ball
  • If it’s not holding, grind a little bit in a smaller food processor some more so it holds everything together.
  • Form small golf balls, roll in sesame seeds and deep fry for a few minutes