Classic Falafel — What You Make When You Know What to Do

Third week. The furlough continues. I am receiving some unemployment and the university has not altered my research assistant stipend so I am managing, carefully, the way I have always managed. I have a budget and I know how to use it. I have been buying dried beans and root vegetables and eggs and I have been making everything from scratch because scratch is cheaper and better and more time-intensive, and I have the time.

I wrote two blog posts this week about pantry cooking: what to buy when you are stocking a pandemic pantry and why, and then a follow-up about the specific techniques that turn dried beans and grains and canned things into actual meals. The response was overwhelming. People were sharing the posts, commenting, emailing. I had more traffic this week than the week my foster care post went around two years ago. People are scared and in their kitchens and they do not all know what to do there. I know what to do there. I have always known what to do there. Knowing what to do there was survival for me before it was a blog.

Gloria is sixty-eight years old. James is seventy-one. I have been calling every day. She says they are fine, staying home, James is watching too much news and she is making him turn it off at six. She said: I am glad you know how to cook. I said: you taught me. She said: I gave you the recipes. You learned to cook. I sat with that distinction for a while. She is right. She gave me the beginning. I built the rest.

The posts I wrote about pantry cooking this week kept coming back to one idea: dried beans are where it starts. They are cheap, they last, and they ask something of you — time, attention, the willingness to learn a technique rather than open a can. Falafel made from dried chickpeas (not canned, never canned) is the recipe I keep returning to when I want to prove that point to myself. Gloria gave me the beginning. This is the rest.

Classic Falafel

Prep Time: 20 min (plus overnight soak) | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 40 min active | Servings: 4 (about 16 falafel)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water (do not use canned)
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, packed
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour)
• Neutral oil for frying (vegetable or canola), about 2 cups

Instructions

1. Soak the chickpeas. Place dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with cold water by at least 3 inches. Soak overnight (8–12 hours). Drain and rinse thoroughly. Do not cook them — raw soaked chickpeas are what give falafel its texture.
2. Build the mixture. Add drained chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and cilantro to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground but not a paste — it should look like coarse, damp sand that holds its shape when pressed. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Season and bind. Stir in cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, pepper, baking soda, and flour. Mix well. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes — this helps the falafel hold together during frying.
4. Form the falafel. Using slightly damp hands or a cookie scoop, form the mixture into balls or patties about 1 1/2 inches across (roughly 2 tablespoons each). They should hold together firmly; if they crumble, work in another teaspoon of flour.
5. Heat the oil. Pour oil into a heavy skillet or small saucepan to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high to 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small bit of mixture in — it should sizzle immediately and brown within 2–3 minutes.
6. Fry in batches. Working in batches of 4–5, carefully lower falafel into the oil. Fry 3–4 minutes per side until deeply golden brown. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot.
7. Serve. Serve warm in pita with tahini, chopped cucumber, tomato, and pickled onion, or over a simple salad with lemon and olive oil. Leftovers reheat well in a 375°F oven for 8–10 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 320 | Protein: 13g | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 9g | Sodium: 480mg