Falafel

By Golfwidow7

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas, rinsed and picked over
• 8 scallions, from 1 bunch, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 medium garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 30mins
Adapted from onceuponachef.com

Preparation

Step 1

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by about 4 inches. Soak overnight, adding more water if necessary to keep the chickpeas covered. (Alternatively, if you're short on time, you can use the quick-soak method: place the chickpeas in a pot and cover with water by about three inches; bring to a boil and cook for two minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and let stand for one hour.)
Drain the chickpeas and place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add all of the other ingredients except for the oil and process until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Form heaping tablespoonfuls of the mixture into patties about 1/2 inch thick and 1-1/2 inches wide.
Heat 1/4-inch of oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add half of the falafel to the pan (the falafel should sizzle immediately when you drop it in the oil; if it doesn't, wait another minute or two for the oil to heat up.) Nudge the falafel with a metal spatula occasionally so it doesn't stick. When the first side is golden, flip and cook a few minutes more until golden all over. The total cook time should be about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the falafel to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Cook the second batch, then serve warm or room temperature with tahini or yogurt sauce.