Falafel. I have tried loads of recipes from the Internet, but none work. I have the spicing right for us but:

Question

I can't get the technique right. I want a crisp shell with a soft spicy interior.
Please don't refer me to internet recipes - I have tried lots, please give me your own recipes, and the little things that make all the difference

Thanks msdiamond, but I tried this - they just don't hold together in deep frying, and if a two stage process of dipping in deep fat and then baking produces a crispy coat but a breaking up filling

Thanks Penny - I haven't yet tried grinding my own raw beans - what beans do you recommend?

Sorry DaveC - I tried at 190C - higher than you recommend -hasn't worked.

Answer 1

A Persian friend of mine gave me this falafel recipe:

1 bag of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (she recommended Goya brand)
2 medium potatoes
1 large clove garlic
2 tsp. cumin
1/2 c. fresh chopped coriander
salt & pepper to taste
2 c. canola oil

* Chop chickpeas, potatoes, and garlic in food processor.
* Add cumin, coriander, salt & pepper.
* Heat oil in pan until VERY hot.
* Form small balls and fry until brown.

Her falafel were the best I've ever had; mine were a falling-apart disaster (tasty, though). After talking with her, I found out that I wasn't making the balls small enough, or firm enough. You have to really squeeze the heck out of them to make them hold together! Refrigerating them before cooking is a good idea, too.

Also, make sure not to cook too many at a time. If you add too many, the temperature of the oil drops significantly. This is sort of obvious, but it makes a *huge* difference.

Falafel is delicious, but it's time-intensive and requires a lot of patience. Good luck!

Answer 2

You dont use cooked or canned recipes for felafel. Proper felafel are made using dried chickpeas which have been soaked for 24 hours then ground up with the spices/flavourings you like. If you use cooked ones then they disintegrate and the texture will be wrong. You should also refridgerate the felafel balls prior to frying as it'll help them hold their shape better.

It sounds like it wouldn't work but have faith, it's the way it has been done in the middle east for centuries!

EDIT - Hi Kate, they have to be chickpeas, not beans plus they should be fresh. You may not think dried pulses can go off but they do harden if they are kept for too long so buy a new bag of dried chickpeas and go from there. Also larger chickpeas give better results than small ones but you may not get a wide choice ( health food shops sometimes stock a better selection than supermarkets )

I hope they work out for you, properly made felafel are gorgeuos :-)

Answer 3

Falafel:

Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
Tahina sauce
Pita bread

Preparation:
1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.

4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts, or use a falafel scoop, available in Middle-Eastern markets.

5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahina thinned with water.

NOTE: Egyptians omit the cilantro and substitute fava beans for the chickpeas.

Tips:

Tahina (also called tahini) is an oily paste made from ground sesame seeds. It is available in Middle Eastern markets and at www.ethnicgrocer.com.

To garnish your falafel in true Israeli style, try adding one or several of the following condiments: harissa hot sauce, pickled turnip (both also available at www.ethnicgrocer.com), mango amba (pickle), or sauerkraut.

hope these help. enjoy.

Answer 4

It sounds like you have a recipe that you like (spiced right for your family). My recommendation is to fry at a higher temperature so the exterior crisp ups nicely and the interior doesn't dry out. The falafel is essentially cooked, you're just crisping up the outside.

Fry at 375 F to 425F so pull out a candy thermometer to get the proper temperature.

Answer 5

Well, most Arabs use the box you can get at the Arabic market and all you do is let that sit then fry it. I use 2 spoons to make the size then drop them in a deep fryer for just a minute or so on low-med heat!

Answer 6

THE MIXTURE HAS TO BE DRIED ENOUGH NOT TO MUCH LIQUID IN THE FALAFEL LET SIT FOR 15 MINUTES, THEN DEEP FRIED