Chickpeas are one of my favourite ingredients. They’re a staple in Indian households, from chole chaat to dhoklas and kadala curry, you’ll find some variety of it in every corner of the country. A tea time favourite for a lot of us is pakoras made from besan a.k.a. chickpea flour.
I grew up in the Middle East, so chickpeas for me immediately translates to hummus and falafel! A simple Lebanese mezze is still one of my all-time favourite breakfasts. While Middle Eastern food is definitely popular in Kerala (Every other person is from the ‘Gelf’), Falafels? not so much!
Equipment
The texture of falafel mix is up to you. Your mixture just needs to be ground enough that it can hold together without falling apart. I like a mix that’s a little more coarse, giving the falafels a good bite! Falafels can be enjoyed in so many ways but it’s best enjoyed as part of a mezze! Some hummus, tabbouleh, pita and baba ganoush along with the falafels and you’ve got the perfect breakfast right there! What’s more, you can make each and every one of those with the Nutri-Blend Bolt 600W Mixer! Use the compact food processor to make the perfect falafels and get the creamiest hummus thanks to its super sharp blades. The food processor also takes all the hard work out of kneading pita dough while the chopper will whip up tabbouleh in no time! I love that all you need is one machine for an entire mezze platter!
Ingredient substitutions
Let’s start with the ones you absolutely should not substitute! I would not recommend substituting any of the spices except perhaps you could switch pepper powder out with some chilli powder. If you don’t have gram flour you could use all purpose flour and vice versa. Baking powder is used to add some lightness to the falafels, but I will admit that on occasion I have forgotten to add it and my falafels weren’t ruined. Traditionally, you would use parsley however, I don’t always get parsley where I live so sometimes I substitute it with coriander leaves and honestly, I think I like it better! Feel free to switch back, or even use a combination of the two!
Try it with/in
-Vegetarian shawarma/rolls with some hummus and vegetables.
-Salads, for a vegetarian protein and flavour punch!
-Burgers! Shape the falafels into burger patties and stick them between two burger buns slathered with garlic sauce.
-As an easy and healthy evening snack.
I usually make a whole batch and freeze them. That way, all I need to do is prepare a salad and fry a few falafels before my meals. The instructions for freezing falafels are given below the recipe. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Dry Chickpeas
- 1 no Small Onion (or half a large one)
- 4 pods Garlic
- 1 cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tbsp Flour
- 2 tbsp Gram Flour (Besan)
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Soak chickpeas overnight or for 12 – 16 hours.
- Drain the chickpeas, wash well and dry thoroughly.
- Add all ingredients (except AP flour and gram flour) to a food processor and pulse till coarsely ground.
- Add one tbsp of AP flour and 1 tbsp of gram flour and mix.
- Depending on the texture of the mixture, you can add one more tbsp of gram flour.
- You’re looking for a mixture that holds its shape but is still coarse and grainy. Do not over mix.
- Pack into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Shape into balls or patties.
- Shallow fry patties or deep fry balls till dark brown.
To Freeze
Once shaped, lay on a tray and freeze uncovered for 2 hours. Transfer to freezer-safe bags and freeze. Remove required quantities and fry immediately.
About the blogger
Sneha Sundar is the creator of You Dim Sum, You Lose Some; a philosophy she adopts both in and out of the kitchen!
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