Homemade falafel

Name: Homemade falafel
Yield: Serves 4-6
Cuisine: Mediterranean recipes
Ingredients: 3 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste, from major supermarkets); Juice of 1 lemon; 200g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight; 1 level tsp baking powder; 1 tsp salt; 2 garlic cloves; 1 onion, finely diced; Bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish; Vegetable oil, for frying; 8-12 pitta breads, warmed and split, to serve; For the pickle salad; 2 small carrots, grated; ½ small red cabbage, finely sliced; Juice of ½ lemon; 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 3 pickled chillies, roughly sliced; 3 gherkins, roughly sliced

Published: 31 Oct 06
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

This homemade falafel recipe uses chickpeas as the main ingredient. A lovely Middle-Eastern dish to serve for lunch or a light dinner.

Serves 4-6
Takes 1 hour to make, plus soaking overnight

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Ingredients

3 tbsp tahini (sesame seed paste, from major supermarkets)
Juice of 1 lemon
200g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 level tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves
1 onion, finely diced
Bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
Vegetable oil, for frying
8-12 pitta breads, warmed and split, to serve

For the pickle salad

2 small carrots, grated
½ small red cabbage, finely sliced
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 pickled chillies, roughly sliced
3 gherkins, roughly sliced

Method

Make the pickle salad. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Make the dressing. Combine the tahini, half the lemon juice and 50ml water in a bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding a dash of water if it’s too thick. Season and set aside.
Drain the chickpeas well, then blitz in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add the remaining lemon juice, baking powder, salt, garlic, onion and coriander and blitz again to a pale green purée. Using your hands, shape into 24 small patties.
Half-fill a large, deep heavy-based saucepan with vegetable oil. Heat until a bread cube turns golden in 1 minute. Fry the fritters, in batches, for 3 minutes, turning once, until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.
Divide the fritters and salad between the pittas and drizzle with the dressing to serve.

Recipe from November 2006 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

For 4 servings

Calories: 809kcals
Fat: 28.3g (3.6 saturated)
Protein: 29.2g
Carbohydrates: 116.8g (12.7g sugar)
Salt: 4.8g

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