Chef John's Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry garbanzo beans
• 0.5 yellows onion , diced
• 0.5 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour , or more as needed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1.5 teaspoons salt , or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoons ground coriander
• 0.25 teaspoons baking soda
• 0.13 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather all ingredients.

2. 2

   Place dried chickpeas into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 12 to 24 hours. Drain.

3. 3

   Blend chickpeas, onion, parsley, garlic, flour, lemon juice, salt, cumin, coriander, baking soda, and cayenne pepper together in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until mixture is finely ground and holds together when pressed.

4. 4

   Transfer falafel mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

5. 5

   Divide falafel mixture into 12 portions and roll each with moistened hands to form a ball.

6. 6

   Working in batches, cook falafel balls in hot oil until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.