PalestineWatch how it’s made
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Ingredients (12)
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Method
The real secret of falafel starts the night before: leave the dried chickpeas to soak in cold water for many hours until they swell and regain their tenderness; this soaking alone makes the difference between light falafel that crumble delicately and heavy, disappointing ones.
Then drain the chickpeas well and put them in the food processor with the onion, garlic, parsley and coriander, blitzing until the mixture turns into a bright green paste fragrant with fresh herbs before it even touches the heat.
Add the spices (cumin, ground coriander, salt and a little chilli) and gently work the mixture by hand so it holds together; sprinkle in the bicarbonate of soda at the very last moment, as it gives the patties their golden crispness when fried.
Shape small balls with a falafel scoop or in the palm of your hand, sometimes dipping their edges in sesame seeds, then carefully lower them into hot, gently bubbling oil until each patty has a crisp brown crust hiding a soft green centre.
Lift out the hot falafel and wrap them in fresh saj bread with tahini, salad and a few pickles, a scene repeated daily in the alleys of Jerusalem, Jaffa, Amman and Damascus; over the decades this humble dish has become a symbol of Palestinian and Levantine food identity, a table where rich and poor gather alike.
