Falafel

also called falafel · felafel · falafil · falaafil · ta'ameya · taameya · tameya · chickpea fritters · herb fritters

The table

2 cups(400 g)dried chickpeassoak the dried chickpeas 24 hr — never cook themgrind coarse with the herbs and aromaticschill the mix 1 hrwork in the baking powder, shapefry at 350°F 3 min
1 cup(packed)flat-leaf parsley
1 cup(packed)cilantro
1 small(quartered)yellow onion
4 clovesgarlic
1 Tbsground cumin
2 tspground coriander
1/2 tspcayenne
2 tspkosher salt
1 tspblack pepper
1 tsp(4 g)baking powder
2 Tbssesame seeds
6 cups(1.4 L; at 350°F/175°C)neutral oil
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1soak the dried chickpeas 24 hr — never cook them

2grind coarse with the herbs and aromatics

goes in with what step 1 made

4work in the baking powder, shape

goes in with what step 3 made

5fry at 350°F 3 min

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 day 1 hrtwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
3 minof the steps that give a time

2 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 1 day 1 hr.

  1. soak the dried chickpeas 24 hr — never cook them

    1 daywalk awayfrom the start

  2. grind coarse with the herbs and aromatics

    not timed1 day in

  3. chill the mix 1 hr

    1 hrwalk away1 day in

  4. work in the baking powder, shape

    not timed1 day 1 hr in

  5. fry at 350°F 3 min

    3 minneeds you1 day 1 hr in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need food processor

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Falafel
>> category: Fried & Crispy
>> tags: chickpeas, middle eastern, deep-fry, herbs, vegan
>> counters: Shawarma Counter
>> aka: falafel, felafel, falafil, falaafil, ta'ameya, taameya, tameya, chickpea fritters, herb fritters
>> pairs-with: tahini-sauce, pita-bread, kabis
>> servings: 6
>> time: 25 hr
>> step.1: soak the dried chickpeas 24 hr — never cook them
>> step.2: grind coarse with the herbs and aromatics
>> step.3: chill the mix 1 hr
>> step.4: work in the baking powder, shape
>> step.5: fry at 350°F 3 min

Cover @dried chickpeas{2%cups}(400 g) with cold water by four inches and ~soak{24%hr}, changing the water once. They triple, and they go into the grinder **raw**. This is the thing about falafel that surprises people: a cooked chickpea has no structure left to hold the fritter together, so canned chickpeas give you a paste that either falls apart in the oil or fries to a dense little brick. Dried, soaked, never cooked — there is no substitution here.

Grind @&(~1)soaked chickpeas{}(drained and patted dry) with @flat-leaf parsley{1%cup}(packed), @cilantro{1%cup}(packed), @yellow onion{1%small}(quartered), @garlic{4%cloves}, @ground cumin{1%Tbs}, @ground coriander{2%tsp}, @cayenne{1/2%tsp}, @kosher salt{2%tsp} and @black pepper{1%tsp} in a #food processor{} in three batches, pulsing to the texture of coarse wet sand. Stop while it is still grainy — worked to a purée it fries heavy. The herbs go in by the fistful and they are what make the inside green.

Chill @&(~1)falafel mix{} covered ~chill{1%hr}. It firms as the raw chickpea takes up the herb moisture, and a warm mix will not hold a ball.

Work @baking powder{1%tsp}(4 g) and @sesame seeds{2%Tbs} through @&(~1)chilled mix{} and shape it into flattened balls the size of a walnut, packing each one firmly between your palms. The baking powder goes in at the last minute — mixed in early it is spent before the fritters reach the oil.

Fry @&(~1)shaped falafel{} in @neutral oil{6%cups}(1.4 L; at 350°F/175°C) six at a time ~fry{3%min}, turning once, until they are deep brown and float high. Break one open: it should be bright green and steaming inside, and drab olive means it was ground too fine or fried too slow.