Falafel

Falafel is the undisputed king of Levantine street food — golden, herb-flecked chickpea fritters sold at bustling corners from Beirut to Cairo since at least the 19th century, though their roots are debated back further still. In Lebanon, the best falafel are made exclusively from raw dried chickpeas, never canned, producing a lighter, crispier result that canned-chickpea versions cannot match.

Serves: 4 (makes 20–24 pieces)

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (do NOT use canned)
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• Large bunch flat-leaf parsley (50g / 2 oz)
• Large bunch fresh coriander (50g / 2 oz)
• 1 tsp (3g) ground cumin
• 1 tsp (3g) ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp (1.5g) baking soda
• 1 tsp (5g) salt
• 0.5 tsp (1.5g) black pepper
• 1 tsp (3g) sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying (approx 1 litre / 4 cups)

To serve: pita bread, tahini sauce, sliced tomatoes, pickled turnips

Instructions

1. Drain the soaked chickpeas. Do not cook them — they should be raw, just rehydrated. Pat dry.
2. In a food processor, pulse chickpeas with onion, garlic, parsley, and coriander until finely ground but not a paste — the texture should resemble coarse sand with some chunky bits. Do not over-process.
3. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in cumin, ground coriander, baking soda, salt, pepper, and sesame seeds. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a deep pot to 175°C (350°F). Form the mixture into small patties or balls (a falafel scoop or two spoons work well), about 3cm (1.25 inch) diameter.
5. Fry in batches of 6–8 for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden-brown and crisp all over. Do not crowd the pot.
6. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately in pita with tahini sauce, tomatoes, and pickled turnips.

Cook's Notes: The baking soda is critical for interior lightness. If the mixture will not hold together, add 1–2 tbsp flour. Never use canned chickpeas — the result will be dense and wet.