A Taste of Africa/Dorinda Hafner 2002

Falafel
Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Calories Saturated Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol
16 each


INGREDIENTS:
2-1/4 cups dried chickpeas or 1 24-ounce (750g) can chickpeas, drained 4 green onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons ground fenugreek seeds 2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water vegetable oil, for deep-frying



1 If using dried chickpeas, cover with plenty of cold water and leave overnight. Drain well. If using canned beans, drain and rinse with cold water before use.
2 Combine the chickpeas, green onions, garlic, parsley, mint, cilantro, cayenne pepper, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, baking powder, salt, and the cornstarch mixture. Process in a food processor in batches for 30 to 40 seconds, or until finely chopped and the mixture is sticky and holds together. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 2 hours.
3 Moisten your hands and press 2 tablespoons of the mixture together in you palm to form into a patty. Fill a deep pan one-third full of vegetable oil, and heat until a cube of bread dropped into the oil browns in 15 seconds.
4 Teast fry one patty to make sure it holds together. It should be firm, but not too hard. If it is too solid and hard, soften the mixture by stirring in small amounts of water, a tablespoon at a time. Form the patties and, in batches, fry for 3 to 4 minutes, or until well browned. Drain on paper towels. Keep the cooked batches in a warm oven until all are cooked and ready to serve.

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