I can't believe that I haven't done a recipe for falafel yet! They are one of the all-star favourite vegan foods, and really easy to make!
To address an elephant in the room before you start, yes, you can use canned chickpeas to make falafel. It is a great way to whip up some quick falafel on a weeknight. However, because the canned chickpeas are already cooked and quite soft, the taste and texture won't be optimal.
Similarly with falafel mixes. They won't be optimal, but I won't condemn anyone for using them to get their hands on these tasty treats!
By far the best results will come from using dried and soaked chickpeas. These are still raw, so the first cooking is when you are frying or baking them and that delivers the best flavour and texture.
Gram (chickpea) flour is typical as a binder, but regular all purpose flour will do, and you can also use an all purpose gluten-free blend. If you are gluten intolerant and are thinking of using gram flour, gram flour is naturaly gluten-free, but do check the pack to see if it was processed in a facility where gluten containing products may have also been processed.
Ingredients:
60g fresh parsley
1 medium onion, rough chopped
4/5 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of ½ lemon (~1 tbsp)
3 tbsp gram or gluten-free flour
1 tsp baking powder
2½ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Soak the chickpeas in plenty of water and a teaspoon of salt. Leave for at least 8 hours, but 12-24 will be awesome. I also tend to rinse them and replace with clean water after about 8 hours. When ready, strain into a colander and allow to drain well.
Throw all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until finely ground but not a paste, scraping the sides as needed.
The consistency is important here - you don't want too pasty or too grainy. Just in between. Unfortunately, with canned chickpeas it will be almost impossible to avoid the paste as they are so soft, but they will still work.
If the mixture is too dry, you can add 1-2 tbsp water.
Use wet hands to form small balls or slightly flattened patties. I tend to use an ice-cream scoop to measure. My scoop gets about 14 falafel from this recipe.
Cover and refrigerate the falafel to firm up for at least 30 minutes, but overnight also works to develop more flavour.
Fry the falafel in whatever amount of oil you are comfortable with for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown.
Alternatively, either air-fry or bake at about 180C, brushing with oil to get a crisp exterior. About 20 minutes, turning half way, though air fryer may be quicker so watch them.
Serve hot!
Enjoy with hummus, tzatziki, tahini sauce, pita bread, or salad. They also go great in a wrap!