Falafels

He died with a Falafel in his hand....

A couple of years ago whilst visiting Brunswick heads in NSW on a holiday, we fell in love with the falafels at a vegetarian cafe there (Yamis for anyone wanting to know). This was actually my first time eating falafels, I’m ashamed to say, I’d previously written them off as being “gross vegetarian food”. I am a fairly carnivorous person in my defence.

Anyway, my fiancé L came up with a recipe searching on the web here;

DedeMed Mediterranean Cooking

Falafel Recipe:
2 cups dried garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cup dried fava beans
1 cup coriander leaves
1/2 cup parsley
8 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp salt
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 very large onion
1/2 tsp blk pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda, added 15 minutes before frying

1/2 tsp baking powder

Hint: the recipe calls for Garbanzo beans, these are actually chickpeas, and Fava beans are broadbeans.

L sourced dried chickpeas and fava beans from our local Indian supermarket.

The most annoying part of the recipe would have to be peeling the fava beans after they had soaked overnight. It takes ages and gives you sore thumbs. We figured out there was a certain weak point in the shell, so that sped up the process a tiny bit.

  

 

Procedure:

• Soak the chickpeas and fava beans overnight, then peel the fava beans
• Drain and blend both together in a food processor until they are the consistency of breadcrumbs – add to a large bowl
• Place onion, garlic, fresh coriander leaves and parsley in food processor and blend until paste consistency, add to bean mixture
•  Add cumin, ground coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, breadcrumbs and mix
•  Stir in flour, baking powder and baking soda, leave to rest for 15 minutes
•  Heat vegetable oil in a pan to a medium heat. Mold the falafel into small balls and fry until golden brown, making sure you turn the balls to achieve a consistent golden colour. Remove and drain when cooked.

We served our falafels with pita bread, pickles, homemade tabouli, grilled haloumi and hommus.

This was the result;

As I was starving for dinner, L decided to have the oil hotter than what it should have been, hence the outside of our falafels were too crunchy and overdone. So we'll make sure when we make them again that they aren't overcooked as they get a bit too difficult to eat. But I can’t complain, seeing as I was the one who wanted dinner on the table faster, heh heh.

Love,

C