Ffffffffalafel!

Total Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 cups dried garbanzo beans
• 1 bunch parsley
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 -2 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 -2 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons red sumaq (or purple sumak)
• safflower oil (for frying) or peanut oil (for frying)
• 1 cup tahini paste
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 4 medium tomatoes, diced very small
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 soak the garbanzo beans overnight, but no longer than 12 hours. drain well and set aside.
• 2 prepare the tahini sauce and set aside.
• 3 in a food processor, process the fresh parsley first, then add the onion and chickpeas, processing until smooth.
• 4 next add the pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, garlic and sumak. process until mixed well. remove mixture to a large bowl.
• 5 pour the oil into a heavy pot to a depth of 2 inches. heat to 375 degrees. to see if oil is ready to fry the falafel, drop a small amount of the garbanzo mixture into the hot oil, if it sizzles immediately the pan is ready.
• 6 form the mixture into patties, about 1/4 cup for each patty. (i usually oil my hands to form the patties.) cook in the oil a few at a time until the outside of the patty forms a golden crust. (the directions offer the suggestion that some cooks poke a hole using a straw or chopstick in the falafel patty before frying to allow the heat to penetrate the center of the patty for ideal frying.).
• 7 drain the cooked patties on paper towels before serving.
• 8 the patties can also be pan fried using less oil and by flattening the patties a little with a spatula to help in frying them thoroughly.
• 9 serve with the accompanying tahini sauce. these are delicious on their own or filled inside of pita bread or tortillas.