Though falafel takes a little planning ahead to soak the chickpeas, it still couldn’t be simpler. The fritters come out of the fryer super crisp and perfectly seasoned. Stuffed in a warm pita with lots of veggies, a drizzle of tahini and a dash of hot sauce, they make for a wonderful weeknight dinner.
ingredients
directions
Special equipment required: a deep-frying thermometer
Heat 3 inches oil in large heavy pot to 365ºF.
Add the drained chickpeas to a food processor. Pulse until the chickpeas begin to break down, about 30 seconds. Add the parsley, baking powder and water, cumin, coriander, cayenne, garlic, onion and 2 teaspoons salt. Process continuously, stopping to scrape down the bowl once halfway through, until a homogenous paste forms, about 2 minutes.
Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, scoop the falafel mixture into balls and carefully drop one at a time into the hot oil in batches of nine. Fry until very deep golden brown all over, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
Serve the warm falafel with pita bread, lettuce, tomato, tahini, hot sauce and lemon wedges.