Falafel with tahini
This favourite Yemeni recipe creates 20 crispy falafels bursting with herbs and subtle spice, and pairs beautifully with airy, mousse-like tahini
SERVES
6
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
15
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
6
MINUTES
Ingredients
For the falafels:
1/2 onion
1 clove of garlic (peeled)
250g soaked chickpeas (or 125g dried)
1 green chilli
3 springs of parsley, picked
1 small bunch of coriander, leaves and top part of stems only
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp freshly ground cardamom pods
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp garam flour
1 tsp baking powder
For the tahini:
125g tahini paste
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
a pinch of salt, plus more to taste
juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste
120ml water
Method
In a food processor, start with the onion, garlic, chilli and herbs and pulse them to chop roughly, then add the chickpeas and blitz until everything becomes a thick paste with small, even-sized bits. You may need to scrape the sides down and blitz for another pulse or two to make sure that everything is evenly chopped, but do not overwork. Tip the mixture into a large bowl, add the spices, salt, flour and baking powder and mix until all is combined well.
Preheat the deep fry at 170°C.
Test the oil temperature by placing a small piece of bread or falafel mix in the hot oil - as soon as it starts to bubble up and float, you are ready to go.
You can shape the falafel mix in a few different ways:
Use damp hands and make little balls or torpedo shapes or you can simply drop in spoonfuls of the mixture for free-form falafel. Make 20 falafels the size of a walnut.Â
Carefully place the falafel in the oil - don't overcrowd the pan and fry until the exterior is browned and crisped (about 2-3 minutes). Remove to a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil and repeat the process until you have fried them all.
To make the tahini, place the tahini paste, minced garlic, salt and lemon juice in a bowl or food processor, add half the water and mix. It will go thick and pasty but continue adding water while mixing until it loosens up to a creamy texture. Taste and adjust salt and lemon to suit your taste buds.
