Recipe Vegistan based Falafel (revised)

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

This is the recipe I will be using for my falafel 2nd round attempt. I liked the basic original recipe but it didn't have enough punch for my husband and my tastes, so I have adapted it quite a bit from the original in the Vegistan cookbook. I've yet to find an online version of the Vegistan recipe so can't credit it.

If you don't like punch in your spices, this adaptation is not going to be for you.

Ingredients
150g dried chickpeas (roughly 1.5 cups)
150g dried fava beans (ideally - that is... I have used lima/white beans successfully or more chickpeas)
100g besan flour (or gram flour or chickpea flour)
1 bunch fresh coriander
1 bunch fresh parsley (flat leaved works best)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground chilli
1/2 tsp turmeric (use fresh if available)
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
8-10 large cloves of garlic
1 large onion (divided - 1/2 as finely chopped as possible, 1/2 for the food processor)
1 tsp salt
Olive Oil for frying

Method

1. Assuming you have remembered to soak your dried pulses overnight whistling, drain and wash them well. If using fava beans with skins (or lima beans), de-skin as many as you can, then drain everything and dry them using a T-towel or two. The drier the better in my experience
2. Next pretty much put everything into a food processor except for the besan flour and the finely chopped half of the onion you have reserved and blend until smooth and you'll end up with a moist green paste. Don't be surprised if you need more than 1 blend and you want it smooth, really smooth
3. Now add the finely chopped onion you reserved and mix well.
4. Next add the besan flour. You may not need all of it, you may need more. It depends entirely on the size of your onion and how much liquid it produced. You are aiming for a firm mixture that you can easily handle without it sticking to everything.
5. Now shape your green paste into balls 3cm in diameter using wet hands (to stop it sticking to you) or well floured with besan flour! I found a slightly under filled 1/4 cup was about the right amount for a pattie sized falafel.
6. Heat your oil in a suitable pan, olive oil is traditionally used but you need it really hot whatever oil you choose to use and fry them until golden brown, rolling them around. I find it easier to flatten the disks slightly into mini burger style falafel for easier frying at home, not having a deep fryer.
7. As you cook them in batches, drain and serve hot.

 

[Francesca]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn

These Falafel look amazing.

Thanks again for the updated récipe. Shall try your´s .. Making note ..