Homemade falafels

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Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish consisting of deep-fried vegetarian patties made from chickpeas. They are delicious when served as a filling in pita bread, flatbread, or alongside a fresh salad.

If you have tried to make homemade falafels, you may have encountered issues with them falling apart during frying. There are a few factors that can contribute to this:

1. The oil is not properly heated – If the oil is either too hot or too cold, the falafels are prone to crumbling. That’s why Ztove is a useful tool for frying falafels, as it automatically controls and maintains a constant temperature.

2. Coarse falafel mixture – The falafel mixture should not be too coarse, as this can cause the patties to break apart. Additionally, when shaping the falafels, it is important to press the mixture firmly.

3. Use soaked raw chickpeas – Falafels made from cooked chickpeas can also lead to crumbling. However, when making falafels with raw chickpeas, it’s crucial to ensure they are thoroughly cooked, as raw chickpeas contain the toxin lectin, which can cause digestive issues. Therefore, precise temperature control of the oil is essential to ensure that the falafels have the perfect a golden colour, while also beeing fully cooked.

By taking these factors into account and ensuring accurate temperature control, you can achieve perfectly cooked falafels that maintain their shape.

Ingredients

Falafels

200 gram Dried chickpeas

1 pcs. Onion , small - approx. 60 g

3 pcs. Garlic cloves

Fresh parsley , 1 handful - approx. 20 g

Fresh coriander , 1 handful - approx. 20 g

2 tbsp. Olive oil

1 tbsp. Ground cumin

1 tbsp. Ground coriander

0.5 tsp. Dried chilli flakes , can be omitted

Lemon juice - the juice of ½ a lemon

1 tsp. Fine salt

8-10 dl Oil for frying

Steps

1
Soak the chickpeas

Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover them generously with water. Let the chickpeas soak overnight in the refrigerator for at least 10 hours.

2
Falafel mixture

After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas.

Transfer all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until the chickpeas are finely ground. Scrape down the sides of the processor as necessary. The mixture should have a smooth consistency and be able to hold its shape without crumbling when squeezed together.

For best results, refrigerate the mixture for a minimum of 30 minutes, or longer if preferred.

3
Fry the falafels

Pour oil into the 24 cm pan, ensuring that the oil reaches just over halfway up the sides of the pan. Preheat the pan to 180 ºC and allow it to heat for approximately 15 minutes to ensure that the oil is properly hot.

Shape the falafel mixture into your desired form. You can roll them into round balls, shape them into small flat patties, or use a spoon to create more tapered ovals. The choice of shape is yours. If using a spoon, dip it in cold water between each falafel to prevent the mixture from sticking.

Carefully place 5-7 falafels into the hot oil at a time. Fry them for 4-6 minutes, adjusting the time based on their size and shape. Remember to flip them halfway through to ensure even frying. Use a slotted spoon to remove the golden-brown falafels from the oil and transfer them to absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

Repeat the frying process until all the falafels are cooked.

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