Main events, RecipesDavid RichardsApril 16, 2021falafel, chickpeas, tahini, crispy, middle eastern, Vegetarian

Falafel

Main events, RecipesDavid RichardsApril 16, 2021falafel, chickpeas, tahini, crispy, middle eastern, Vegetarian

Falafel, a simple chickpea-based dish originating from... Well, actually, this is where the simplicity ends and the historical, political and geographical lessons begin if you really want to find out. The truth is that not only is the origin not completely agreed upon, but falafel is not even exclusively chickpeas. However, let’s not dwell too long when we could be cooking! Falafel always reminds me of sitting in the sunshine eating a falafel wrap or pita in Brighton’s Pavilion Gardens and I’m happy to be able to show you that making it at home couldn’t be simpler.

Step 1 - A nice soak

Chickpea enthusiasts insist soaking dried chickpeas is the only way to achieve optimal falafel consistency. I would recommend this as it does give you more of the grain-like bite which seems to be consistently present in all the delicious falafel I've had from various establishments. With that said, don't let missing the chance for a good soaking stop you from giving this a go. Thoroughly drying a can of chickpeas with kitchen towel will still work if you’re short on time.

Pour your dried chickpeas into a bowl and cover completely with lightly salted water.
Leave covered overnight or until hydrated and looking a lot like your average canned chickpea.

Step 2 - Prep

Combine the garlic, parsley, cumin, a dash of olive oil and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and blend to a nice paste.
Drain the chickpeas and pat dry with paper or a tea towel.
Add the chickpeas, baking powder and a tablespoon of flour to the rest of the ingredients and blend into a paste. If your ‘dough’ is too wet, add a little more flour and blend and stir again.
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Grab a tablespoon of mix at a time and roll it into a ball. Place your balls on a baking paper lined baking tray.
Top tip: Roll the balls in sesame seeds for some additional flavour and texture.
Bake for around 25 mins, rolling once or twice during this time for even crispiness.

Serve your falafel in your favourite format. For this one, I’m serving the falafel in a pita with hummus and a simple salad of spinach and carrot with a lemon and tahini dressing. Tahini has a great unique flavour and is tasty as a dressing or just drizzled right over. You also can’t go wrong throwing some spicy sauce and pickled beetroot or gherkins in there for some vibrance and crunch.