Easy Herb Sesame Falafel Recipe

These traditional Middle Eastern vegetarian patties are delicious and packed with vitamin and mineral.

Easy Herb Sesame Falafel Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried chickpeas
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 2 green chillies, deseeded 
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• sea salt to taste

Cooking Direction

• Put the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Let the chickpeas soak overnight. The chickpeas will double in size and soft enough to break apart with fingers. Drain the chickpeas and pat dry them.
• Place the onion, garlic, green chillies, parsley and cilantro in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse few times to coarsely chop the onion and spices. 
• Add the chickpeas, garlic, black pepper, ground coriander and ground cumin to the food processor, working in batches if needed. Pulse all the ingredients together until a rough course meal forms. Sprinkle baking powder and salt over the mixture and scrape down the side. Pulse the chickpea again until the mixture can hold together when you squeeze into a ball. 
•  Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl. Add toasted sesame seeds and stir with a fork to combine. Remove any large chunks of chickpeas. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1-2 hours
• Scoop a spoonful of falafel mixture and using wet hands to form the mixture into a ball. You can roll the balls briefly in sesame seeds if you want.
• Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Fry the falafel in batches until golden brown. Remove the falafel from heat and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately with hummus, tahini or yogurt sauce.