Falafel | Falafel recipe – Frying & baking methods
Falafel is a middle eastern dish prepared from chickpeas(white chana), onions and few spices. Learn how to prepare using frying method and baking method with a video. Serve this as a starter or as a healthy breakfast or an evening snack.
To be aware of this Egyptian famous staple food, either you have visited middle eastern countries or you are a food lover/ explorer like me …
Those who live in Gulf countries cannot bypass this yum healthy dish from their food. Besides this falafel is definitely healthy because of its high protein content from chickpeas. The authentic falafel is ideally deep fried in oil and rich in taste. But nowadays, as a means of health consideration, we can also bake this falafel using a microwave oven.
Moreover, I feel that this middle-eastern falafel is nothing but a close cousin of our South Indian Masala Vada. Because masala Vada is made of Bengal gram dal with South Indian masala spices and this falafel is made of chickpeas with spices. There are no other much differences between falafel and masala Dal Vada.
I have explained how to do the deep fry method as well as the baking method using the oven. Also, I would like to mention that the authentic falafel recipe uses the parsley leaves and I use the coriander leaves, which is from the same family herb.
For similar global recipes:
Few health notes on chickpeas(chana):
The iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K in chickpeas all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.
In addition to these essential vitamins and minerals, the mineral Selenium, which is in chickpeas prevents inflammation and decreases tumor growth rates.
Moreover, chickpeas contain folate which plays an important role prevent cancer cells from multiplying and spreading throughout the body.
Watch the video of the falafel making:
Falafel | Falafel recipe - Frying & baking methods
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 200 g chickpeas whole white chana
- 1 big onion
- 6 garlic pods
- 1 cup coriander leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp pepper powder
- ½ tbsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt as per taste
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour/maida optional
- Oil to deep fry or for baking
Instructions
Preparation:
- Clean and soak the chickpeas (white chana) in lots of water for overnight or minimum of 8 hours.
Recipe to make falafel:
- In a large mixing bowl take the soaked chickpeas. Discard the soaking water.
- Add chopped onions, garlic, and chopped coriander leaves.
- Also add cumin(jeera) seeds, pepper powder, salt, and chilli powder.
- You can add a dash of lemon (few drops) along with the other ingredients if you like. Lemon is optional.
- Give a quick nice mix and blend them without adding water.
- The mixture has enough moisture from onions and soaked chickpeas. It resembles the Vada batter but with a nice green soft texture.
- After blending transfer back to the bowl and knead with fingers for even mixing.
- Make small balls from the ground mixture and slightly press to make patties. Keep them ready.
How to fry Falafel:
- Heat enough oil to deep fry in a kadai/pan.
- Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small bit of batter and if it raises steadily that is the right heat to fry.
- Drop the patties one by one without crowding into the oil.
- Reduce the heat and fry the bottom sides for around 4 mins.
- Flip and fry the other sides too.
- When both sides turn to golden brown color remove from the oil and collect in tissue paper. In fact, these falafels won't use much oil other than required.
- Serve hot with the popular partner Hummus or simple masala curd/plain curd/ tomato ketchup.
How to bake the falafel:
- To bake the patties, preheat the oven/microwave oven for 180°C.
- Grease the baking tray generously with oil.
- Place the patties on the tray and bake in preheated oven for 10mins.
- Take the tray out, flip all the falafels, drizzle few drops of oil if required and bake again for 10 more minutes.
- Let them cool down for few minutes and serve with the famous Hummus/Tahini sauce or tomato ketchup.
Notes
Nutrition
Preparation:
Clean and soak the chickpeas (white chana) in lots of water for overnight or minimum of 8 hours.
Recipe to make falafel:
- In a large mixing bowl take the soaked chickpeas. Discard the soaking water.
- Add chopped onions, garlic, and chopped coriander leaves.
- Also add cumin(jeera) seeds, pepper powder, salt, and chilli powder.
- You can add a dash of lemon (few drops) along with the other ingredients if you like. Lemon is optional.
- A tablespoon of all-purpose flour just for binding and this is too an optional ingredient.
- Give a quick nice mix and blend them without adding water.
- The mixture has enough moisture from onions and soaked chickpeas. It resembles the Vada batter but with a nice green soft texture.
- After blending transfer back to the bowl and knead with fingers for even mixing.
- Make small balls from the ground mixture and slightly press to make patties. Keep them ready.
How to fry Falafel:
- Heat enough oil to deep fry in a kadai/pan.
- Check the temperature of the oil by dropping a small bit of batter and if it raises steadily that is the right heat to fry.
- Drop the patties one by one without crowding into the oil.
- Reduce the heat and fry the bottom sides for around 4 mins.
- Flip and fry the other sides too.
- When both sides turn to golden brown color remove from the oil and collect in tissue paper. In fact, these falafels won’t use much oil other than required.
- Serve hot with the popular partner Hummus or simple masala curd/plain curd/ tomato ketchup.
How to bake the falafel:
- To bake the patties, preheat the oven/microwave oven for 180°C.
- Grease the baking tray generously with oil.
- Place the patties on the tray and bake in preheated oven for 10mins.
- Take the tray out, flip all the falafels, drizzle few drops of oil if required and bake again for 10 more minutes.
- Let them cool down for few minutes and serve with the famous Hummus/Tahini sauce or tomato ketchup.
Tips:
1) If you are concerned about oil usage, you can do shallow frying on top of the stove with few teaspoons of oil instead of deep frying.
2) Always fry in medium hot oil so that the inner part of the patty can be cooked properly.
3) This falafel tastes great with simple curd or masala curd or tomato ketchup.
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