#MeatlessMonday - Falafel

Falafel

Let 'em cool a little...

Ingredients

The chickpeas are still in the bath...

• 2 cups Dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 5 Cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. Ground Cumin
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 cup Chopped Parsley
• 1/2 cup Chopped Coriander
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for deep frying 

Cooking Directions

1. If you're a believer in the baking soda theory of chickpea soaking, dissolve 2 tsp. of baking soda in the soaking water. Regardless, they'll about triple in size, so make sure you use a big enough container and enough water to keep them covered.



Dry - Soaked

2. Rinse the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices and herbs. Pulse until you achieve a mixture resembling coarse sand.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. You should have a damp mixture that holds together but is still rather delicate.
4. At this point some people like to blend in a couple teaspoons of baking soda. I don't think it makes any difference this late in the game. 
5. Set aside, covered, for 30 minutes.
6. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees.
7. Make a small ball, fry it and taste. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. If the balls won't hold together, chances are your mixture is too coarse. Pop it back in the food processor and pulse until a test ball holds it's shape.





Ready for the hot oil...



8. Form the mixture into small balls. You should end up with about two dozen. I got 21 out of this batch.
9. Carefully deep fry the balls a few at a time until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste as they come out of the oil.
10. Serve hot with your favorite toppings and a crisp cucumber salad, stuff 'em in pita, whatever... you know what to do. 

Note: Please, for the love of all that's tasty, do not try to make falafel with canned chickpeas. Get yourself a bag from a reputable supplier and a nice glass jar to keep them in.

Update: I made these Sunday night, expecting to be able to grab some cucumbers and nice crispy lettuce on the way home from work Monday evening. But the cucumbers didn't look all that great at the grocery store by the train station and I didn't feel like searching them out at 5:30.

So... I decided to make Falafel Curry. Hey, chickpeas are eaten all over India, right? Onions, herbs, spices?  They're just like kofta, sort of.

I just sliced up an onion and sauteed it in a couple tablespoons of ghee, added some of the chana masala spice mix I make now and then because we like all kinds of dal, dropped in 6 falafel balls, added half a can of coconut milk and stirred it all up. I covered the pan and let it simmer on very low heat while the rice cooked.

A handful of fresh chopped cilantro to top it off and Meatless Monday was saved from the great cucumber famine of 2012.

Yes, I know I should have added some tomatoes and some dried chili flakes, but I was winging it.