Authentic Crispy Falafel Traditional Style

Put the 500 g dried chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them generously with cold water. Let them soak for at least 12 hours, but no longer than 24 hours. They will almost double in volume. Under no circumstances use canned chickpeas, otherwise you'll end up with a liquid hummus mixture!

After soaking, drain the chickpeas well and rinse them thoroughly with cold water. It's important that they are well drained before you process them further.

Roughly chop the fresh parsley and fresh cilantro. Peel the garlic cloves.

Put all ingredients, except the vegetable oil (the soaked chickpeas, sesame seeds, chopped parsley, cilantro, garlic cloves, sea salt, ground coriander, cumin, black pepper, and sweet paprika) into a large food processor or meat grinder. Alternatively, you can also manually blend it with an immersion blender.

Blend the mixture finely until no whole chickpeas are visible and a uniform, slightly grainy paste forms. Make sure the mixture doesn't become too liquid.

Season the falafel mixture to your liking. If you like it spicier, you can now add some chili (freshly chopped or as powder).

Cover the blended falafel mixture and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling helps the mixture firm up and makes it easier to form the balls.

Take the chilled falafel mixture out of the refrigerator. Form it into small balls or flat patties, depending on your preference. The size should be about that of a golf ball.

Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep pot or fryer to 170°C (340°F). The oil should be hot enough to quickly fry the falafel until crispy without them absorbing too much fat.

Fry the falafel balls in batches for about 3-5 minutes until they are golden brown and crispy. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot to keep the oil temperature stable.

Alternatively, you can also bake the falafel in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 15-20 minutes or prepare them in an air fryer until golden brown. Flip them once during this time.

Remove the finished falafel from the oil or oven and let them drain on paper towels to remove excess fat.

Serve the warm falafel immediately. They taste great in flatbread with fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and lettuce

A homemade sesame sauce (tahini sauce) pairs perfectly and completes the flavor. You can find my recipe for a vegan sesame sauce here on Rocely.