I made falafel last night

[gebuh]

from this recipe (with a couple of tweaks).
I topped them with hummus, lettuce, diced carrots, onions, green peppers, pickled daikon (another recipe, they're delicious, but stink to high heaven) all wrapped up in a pita.

They came out pretty good, but I think they could be better, anybody have a good falafel recipe to share?

[witchypoo]

yes. I will post it when I get to work (is on that pc).

[Run Amok]

Did you use dried chickpeas or the canned ones?

The recipe I make is a lot like that one, though I leave out the cilantro.

[radial]

That pickled daikon makes my falafel smell offal. 

[witchypoo]

hola.

here it is :

2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, drained (or, approx. 2 c dried chickpeas, rinsed, soaked, drained, boiled, then drained) (you could also use 1 can of chickpeas, and 1 can of fava beans... up to you)
1 sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c (fresh) parsley, chopped
cumin (to taste, i usually add 1 T)
cayenne pepper (to taste, i usually add 2 t)
2 t salt
3 or 4 slices bread, moistened w/water
2 t baking powder
flour

pulse everything together in a food processor (or, blend the chickpeas in a blender - but don't blend until they're smooth, you want them chunked up - and then pour them into a bowl and mix the rest of it by hand). flour should only be added if necessary - if the batter is a wet mess, add some flour until it comes together in a thick paste.

heat 6 cups of oil in a dutch oven or deep fat fryer until a blob of the batter browns and cooks thoroughly in 5-6 minutes (i have no idea what temp. this might be... heat the oil over medium heat).

make small balls (2" diameter) or small discs, and fry them in the oil for 5 to 6 minutes. drain on paper bags.

serve with hot sauce, t'hina, and pickled onions.

i prefer a mix of chickpeas and favas. you should try the recipe both ways.

[merigayle]

I really like Fat Free Vegan's sweet potato falafels, and she has this funky sauce to go with it made of yogurt and ketchup and it is actually perfect for the meal.

[gebuh]

Did you use dried chickpeas or the canned ones?

The recipe I make is a lot like that one, though I leave out the cilantro.

dried, I hate canned beans.  I keep a big bag of previously soaked beans in the freezer so I don't have to wait(tho I've done it using the quick soak method with no problems).  I don't cook them and I'm like you, I double the parsley and skip the cilantro.

[gebuh]

hola.

here it is :

2 15-oz cans of chickpeas, drained (or, approx. 2 c dried chickpeas, rinsed, soaked, drained, boiled, then drained) (you could also use 1 can of chickpeas, and 1 can of fava beans... up to you)
1 sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c (fresh) parsley, chopped
cumin (to taste, i usually add 1 T)
cayenne pepper (to taste, i usually add 2 t)
2 t salt
3 or 4 slices bread, moistened w/water
2 t baking powder
flour

pulse everything together in a food processor (or, blend the chickpeas in a blender - but don't blend until they're smooth, you want them chunked up - and then pour them into a bowl and mix the rest of it by hand). flour should only be added if necessary - if the batter is a wet mess, add some flour until it comes together in a thick paste.

heat 6 cups of oil in a dutch oven or deep fat fryer until a blob of the batter browns and cooks thoroughly in 5-6 minutes (i have no idea what temp. this might be... heat the oil over medium heat).

make small balls (2" diameter) or small discs, and fry them in the oil for 5 to 6 minutes. drain on paper bags.

serve with hot sauce, t'hina, and pickled onions.

i prefer a mix of chickpeas and favas. you should try the recipe both ways.

hmmm, I never heard of putting bread in it.  I will def try with fava beans - tho I heard you invite the wrath of the gods if you cook the beans.
thanx

[caribougrrl]

I use this one:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5605/falafel-burgers

and sometimes do half fava/half chickpea

[merigayle]

I cook large batches of dry beans in the pressure cooker then freezer what i am not using that day, they do quite well frozen.

[diablita]

I wonder if you could use chickpea flour and omit the bread for a WLC-compliant falafel?  It would be tasty with Israeli salad.

[merigayle]

The fat free vegan one uses chickpea flour.

[gebuh]

I wonder if you could use chickpea flour and omit the bread for a WLC-compliant falafel?  It would be tasty with Israeli salad.

I wouldn't, chickpea flour changes the texture.

[gebuh]

I really like Fat Free Vegan's sweet potato falafels, and she has this funky sauce to go with it made of yogurt and ketchup and it is actually perfect for the meal.

How do they incorporate the sweet potatoes?
Have you tried freezing falafel?  Either before or after frying?

[merigayle]

You mash the sweet potatoes, then stir in the flour and other seasonings and bake. I have never frozen it as we eat it usually in 1-2 days

[caribougrrl]

How do they incorporate the sweet potatoes?
Have you tried freezing falafel?  Either before or after frying?

I've frozen it before, after frying.  Reheated in oven beautifully, plus then I could pretend they were baked and my MIL ate them without panicking about the oil.

[Run Amok]

dried, I hate canned beans.  I keep a big bag of previously soaked beans in the freezer so I don't have to wait(tho I've done it using the quick soak method with no problems).  I don't cook them and I'm like you, I double the parsley and skip the cilantro.

Hmm. Then I don't know. I don't like the texture of canned beans for falafel. I wonder if freezing them might have been part of it? I've frozen the mixture before and it changed the texture enough to make them not work out as well.