Falafel
======= 2024-08-25 *


inspired by: Les falafels
and falafel

Comment: many people know where the best falafels are made, but for every person this place is different. For me it's HaZkenim Falafel (in German) in Haifa, and for others it is in rue des Rosiers in Paris or Hakosem in Tel Aviv or still Sababa in Toronto (Thornhill). After several tests, I essentially confirm the recipes above, of which my version follows. Of course for a good falafel it takes much more than good falafel balls: pitas, tahina, sauces, vegetables... and the sun.

Ingredients:
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~35 balls

500 g   uncooked dry chickpeas, soaked for 48 hours, well dried
140 g   onion (cleaned)
22.5 g  (~7 cloves) garlic (cleaned)
15 g    (1 bunch)  chopped parsley leaves
20 g    (1 pepper) red pepper
3.75 g  ground cumin
10 g    salt
1+ tsp  baking powder  
15 T    of the pepper mill

~15 balls

200 g   uncooked chickpeas, soaked for 48 hours, well dried
56 g    onion (cleaned)
9 g     (~3 cloves) garlic (cleaned)
6 g     (1/2- bunch) chopped parsley leaves
9 g     (1/2- pepper) red pepper
1.5 g   ground cumin
4 g     salt
0.5     tsp baking powder
6 T     of the pepper mill


1 pinch of ground cardamom (opt)
crushed coriander seeds (opt)
sesame seeds (opt)


Preparation:
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Blitz chickpeas, onions, garlic chilli and parsley roughly chopped in a blender possibly in several batches depending on the size of the mixer.

Finely chop the parsley, add it to the chickpeas, then the spices, the baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.

Use a "falafel spoon" or make small balls by hand and fry 1 to 2 minutes in oil at ~170C (340F). Just take them out of the frying as soon as they have a beautiful golden color.

Let them rest for a few minutes on a paper towel.