Fa La La La La!

About a month or so ago I tried my hand at making my own falafel. There were a few hiccups; misreading tbsp for tsp of salt and some frying issues, but overall they were great. Ideally, I was planning to fry the falafel but every time I attempted to fry them they fell apart. I opted to bake them thanks to my mom's suggestion and they came out nice and crunchy. I actually was happy that I baked them because it was a lot healthier and less messy. Misreading measurements was such a rookie mistake but hey everyone has their off moments, especially when your cooking late at night. Fortunately, I was able to compensate the saltiness with lots of hummus in my pita. 

I know summer is almost over but this meal is great on a hot summer day. The recipe also works because it makes of leftovers for a variety of meals. The first night I ate them in a stuffed pita but during the week I opted for falafel salads: complete with spring mix, tomatoes, and feta since they were easier to package on my bike commute.

HOMEMADE FALAFEL

Ingredients

2 cans chickpeas (each can is 15 ounces)

1 small red onion

5 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup flour

a sprinkle of black pepper

Instructions:

In a food processor blend up the chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley and cilantro into a thick paste. I had to do this in two batches since my food processor couldn't handle this entire recipe all at once. You'll also notice there is no liquid added, which makes it rather hard to blend. Keep at it and don't add water no matter what! Adding water will likely result in falafel that won't hold together during the frying process.

Once you've blended everything into a paste spoon it into a large bowl and add the salt, baking powder, flour and pepper. Stir until well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours. If you're in a time crunch you can place it in the freezer for an hour instead. But don't skip this rest period, because it will result in falafel that falls apart when fried. 

In the meantime make your dressing by combining 2 cups greek yogurt, 1/2 large cucumber (finely chopped) and 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill. Stir together and allow to set for at least 30-45 minutes before serving so the flavors and blend together.

In a deep fryer or large, heavy pot heat enough oil for the falafel float. You want the oil temperature to reach around 350°F. You can use a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature or you can test it by dropping a little batter in. It should start to bubble/fizzle and the batter should float after a few seconds. Once the oil is ready, drop small balls of the falafel batter in and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels, to remove excess oil.

***Again, I failed at deep frying and opted to bake. If you also struggle or want a healthier alternative I recommend making small balls out of the batter and bake the falafel on a cookie sheet an inch or so apart for about 20 min at 350F or until golden and crispy.

Enjoy!