The best Falafel ever | Falafel Recipe | How to make Falafel

Falafel is one of the most favourite street foods in the Middle East and is eaten with pita bread and tahini. Most falafels are made with ground chickpeas and honestly, I find them too dry and doughy.

This recipe from Egypt, made with Fava beans (kind of broad bean) and lots and lots of greens, is in a class of its own. It will redefine Falafel, as you knew it.

Ingredients

• Fava beans- 2 cups dried
• Cilantro -1 cup finely chopped
• Parsley - 1 cup finely chopped
• Dill - 1/4 cup finely chopped( optional)
• Green chilli- 1
• Onion - 1 small
• Garlic- 4 cloves
• Toasted sesame seeds - 1/4 cup
• Cumin or Jeera powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1/2 tsp
• Baking powder- 1 tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Olive or vegetable oil for cooking

Method

In a large bowl, soak the beans overnight.

In the morning they would’ve doubled in size, at least.  Drain the excess water.

In a food processor, put all the greens. Process till finely chopped. Add everything else except the oil and the sesame seeds. Puree till you get a fine mix, like so.

Add the sesame seeds and mix well with a large spoon. If you have too much mixture, it is easily freezable for another day.

On a hot pan heat a few teaspoons of oil. Drop small flat spoonfuls on the pan. Flatten the top for better frying.

Let cook for a few minutes on each side.

There you are, the best Falafel ever.

Check out that green inside… doesn’t it make you drool?

Serve inside a pita bread, with houmous and some salad.

Finally, if you can’t be bothered to cook it, and are in London, I can recommend the falafels at Pilpel. They taste almost as good as my home made ones!