Falafel

Ingredients

• Falafel
• 250 g dried chickpeas
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 handful fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
• 1 handful fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
• 1 and a half tsp ground cumin
• 1 and a half tsp ground coriander
• half a tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• half a tsp baking powder
• 750 ml sunflower oil for frying
• White Bean Yoghurt
• 1 tin drained white beans
• 1 small clove garlic (finely chopped)
• qtr cup full fat plain yoghurt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbps olive oil
• sea salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the chickpeas overnight in cold water at least twice the volume of the chickpeas.

2. 2

   The next day, drain the chickpeas and place in a food processor with the onion, garlic, herbs, spices, salt and egg.

3. 3

   Pulse the mixture until just finely chopped and combined (not mushy or pasty).

4. 4

   Add the baking powder and chickpea flour and mix until combined.

5. 5

   Place in the fridge for at least an hour.

6. 6

   While the mixture chills make the white bean yoghurt by placing all the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until well combined.

7. 7

   Heat the oil in a medium sized saucepan (to reach at least 5cm up the sides of the pan) and test if the oil is hot enough by dropping a small bit of mixture into the oil. The mixture must start to sizzle and fry immediately.

8. 8

   Wet your hands and press the mixture into balls about the size of a walnut.

9. 9

   Fry in the oil in batches for 6 - 8 minutes until well browned and cooked through.

10. 10

    Drain and serve while hot in a wrap or pita with the chopped tomato, parsley, sesame seeds and the white bean yoghurt.

11. 11

    Adapted from Roger Jorgensen and Ottolenghi