Famed Middle East Chickpea Meatballs

When I Feel Good, I Falafel

Falafels are “meat-less balls” made with chickpeas. This Middle Eastern dish is served here in the States as a warm sandwich wrapped in pita or naan bread topped with garden veggies: tomatoes, cukes, lettuce, and a tahini sauce

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Falafels are fun to make: traditionally deep fried, but also baked, or as I did for this post, air fried with great crunchy success! The balls have a chewy, herbal-spicy interior with a crunchy exterior. What’s not to love?

This recipe makes a couple dozen falafels; they freeze well.

INGREDIENTS: You will need to soak the chickpeas for 24 hours, so plan ahead. Although I researched shortcuts to soaking, I have yet to try them.

Falafels come together quickly even with the lengthy ingredient list. A food processor does most the lifting.

SERVES 6-8

• chickpeas – 14 oz, soaked 24 hours [in plenty of water]
• onion – 1/2 cup, chopped
• garlic, fresh – 2 cloves, sliced
• parsley, fresh – 1/2 cup, minced then measured
• coriander, ground – 1 tsp
• cumin, ground – 2 tsp
• cayenne – 1 tsp, or to taste
• sea salt – 1 tsp
• pepper – 1/2 tsp
• baking soda – 1/2 tsp
• lemon juice – 1 TBS
• flour – 2 TBS, optional, [or potato starch or chickpea flour]

Speedy prep time of adding the chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor, then adding the remaining ingredients before pulsing into a ground “meat” texture.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Prepare the chickpeas by soaking 24 hours, making sure there is plenty of water as the beans will expand
2. Drain the beans for several minutes, then add to the bowl of a food processor
3. Add the remaining ingredients, except the flour option, and pulse 10 to 15 times, then scrape down the bowl and repeat—you want a uniform grind, but not a purée
4. Allow the mix to rest for about 30 minutes; then form patties or balls with about 2 TBS of mix. Roll lightly in your fingers and set on parchment paper and complete making the balls
5. Note: if the mixture is a little too loose, add the flour and combine well; when rolling the texture should hold like making meatballs
6. Preheat the air fryer to 375ºF and spray the basket generously with oil.
7. Spray the falafels generously then carefully set into the air fryer basket or tray, leaving a little space around each one; you may need additional air fryer time if using all the batter*
8. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, until skin is mostly chestnut brown
9. Keep warm
10. Before serving spray again lightly with oil

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* You can freeze any remaining mixture or preferably shape into falafels and freeze in one layer

ADD-INS: I like a couple spoonfuls of toasted sesame seeds added to the mixture for added flavor and texture

TABLESIDE: Serve with warm pita or naan bread, tomatoes, cucumbers, shredded lettuce, and of course tahini sauce:

Tahini Sauce:

• tahini sesame paste – 1/2 cup
• garlic, fresh – 1 medium, grated
• sea salt – 1/2 tsp
• lemon juice – 1/3 cup
• parsley, fresh – 1 T, minced
• water to thin

Combine all ingredients, except the water then stir until it thicken. Drizzle teaspoons of water while stirring until a spoonable sauce unfolds

Oblong Falafels with Add-in Sesame Seeds Served with Tahini Sauce

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Recipe Multiplicity – I made a pot of Pasta Lentica [below] and added falafels to the dish just long enough to heat through and served. Delicious way to expand your base recipe!

I felt good when I falafeled this story. After so many years eating the street vendor version, this will be in my fridge and my freezer for just the right next time.

Recipe adjusted by B. Hettig from original by Mark Bittman, NYTimes