Lebanese
Falafel
Lebanese falafel fried from soaked legumes and herbs, with a deeply green interior, aromatic spice, and a brittle golden shell.
6 servings · 45 minutes prep · 20 minutes cook
Ingredients
Main
- 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
- 1/2 cup dried split fava beans
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 packed cup parsley
- 1 packed cup cilantro
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 cups neutral oil, for frying
Directions
Method
- Soak the dried chickpeas and dried split fava beans with the baking soda in plenty of cold water for 12-14 hours. Drain very well; do not use canned or cooked legumes.
- Pulse the drained legumes with the yellow onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, kosher salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until the mixture is finely chopped but still coarse enough to see small bits of herb and legume.
- Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes, then mix in the baking powder.
- Shape into small balls or patties, pressing firmly enough that the edges hold together without making the centers dense.
- Heat the neutral oil in a deep-fry pot to 350°F. Fry one test piece, adjust salt or texture if needed, then fry in batches until deeply browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
- Drain on a rack and serve hot.
