Falafel are deep-fried chickpea or fava bean fritters — bright green on the inside from fresh parsley and coriander, crispy and dark brown on the outside. They must be made from raw dried chickpeas, never canned or cooked. The exterior must shatter on first bite; the interior should be pale green, slightly moist, and herbaceous. Served in warm pita with tahini sauce, salad, pickled turnip, and fresh vegetables.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
IThe Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
250g
dried chickpeas
soaked overnight and drained
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
50g
fresh parsley
roughly chopped
Your own market
30g
fresh cilantro
roughly chopped
Your own market
2
white onions
roughly chopped
Your own market
10ml
fresh lemon juice
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
7g
ground cumin
Your own market
5g
ground coriander
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2g
fine sea salt
Your own market
1g
Aleppo pepper
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
30g
chickpea flour
Origin · IndiaNot yet stocked in British Columbia
1l
vegetable oil
for deep frying
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Pulse soaked chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, onion, and garlic in food processor until coarse breadcrumb texture forms (do not overwork).
2
Transfer mixture to bowl, fold in cumin, coriander, sea salt, Aleppo pepper, and chickpea flour until just combined.
3
Refrigerate mixture for 15 minutes to firm up.
4
Divide into 12 equal portions, roll between palms into compact golf ball shapes, flatten slightly.
5
Heat vegetable oil to 170°C; working in batches of 4, fry falafels for 3–4 minutes, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown.
6
Drain on paper towels and serve warm with hummus and pita bread.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where falafel lives or dies is the test fry — before committing to a full batch, fry one falafel first. If it falls apart in the oil, the mixture needs more binding (add 1 tablespoon of flour). If it is pale and oily after 4 minutes, the oil is too cool. If it is dark brown after 2 minutes, the oil is too hot. The single test falafel is the calibration that determines the entire batch.
V
Cross-Cuisine Parallels
Indian pakora (chickpea-battered and fried vegetables
the South Asian fried legume fritter)
Italian arancini (fried rice balls
the Mediterranean fried ball tradition)
Spanish croquetas (fried filling balls
the Spanish fried croquette parallel).
VI
What to Pour
Tahini sauce (tahini, lemon, garlic, water) and pickled turnip (the pink-purple pickled root vegetable that accompanies falafel throughout the Levant). Ayran (yoghurt drink) or cold Israeli Goldstar lager alongside.
VII
Origin & Lineage
Egypt (where it is made from fava beans — ta'amiya) and the Levant (where it is made from chickpeas). The chickpea falafel is the internationally recognised version, associated with Israeli street food and Palestinian cooking. The dish is at least several hundred years old; Coptic Christian traditions in Egypt suggest it may predate Islam.
