Falafel

Ingredients: 

• 1 can garbanzo beans

• ½ bunch parsley (can add cilantro if you would like!)

• ½ yellow onion 

• 3-5 cloves garlic

• 1 serrano chili pepper

• ½ cup of flour

• ½ cup of corn starch

• 1 teaspoon of baking powder

• 1 teaspoon of cumin

• 1 pinch salt or to taste

• 1 pinch of cayenne if no chili pepper 

• High smoke point oil (if frying) such as avocado, grapeseed, canola, etc.

Instructions:

1. Blend: onion, garlic, chili pepper, parsley (and cilantro if adding) until very small and well blended

2. Add half the garbanzo beans and pulse just until mixed

3. Repeat with second half of garbanzo beans, this is so half the beans are more blended than the other and the mix is not smooth but lightly chunky

4. Transfer the mix to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients except the oil 

5. Blend everything with your hands until consistency is able to be made into balls that hold their shape. 

6. If you need to add more flour or cornstarch do it a spoonful at a time. 

7. Put bowl in the fridge for around 10 minutes so mixture hardens a bit more

8. When ready to make you have two cooking options:

   1. Fry

      1. Put oil in a wide shallow pan and heat until very very hot, 

      2. put desired size of falafel (I like mine around 2” diameter discs around ½” thick) into the oil for two minutes each side

      3. drain on paper towels or reusable tea towel. 

      4. They should be crisp and lightly browned on the outside! 

   2. Bake

      1. Preheat oven to 400*. 

      2. Prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

      3. Make desired size of falafel balls or discs, I like mine around 2” diameter and ½” thick, and put on parchment paper. 

      4. Bake for 10 minutes on each side, obviously flipping mid way through. 

      5. They should be crisp and lightly browned on the outside!