Home Made Chickpea Falafels

Home-Made chickpea Falafel

Ingredients
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
400g cans chickpeas, rinsed, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander
2 tbsp finely chopped mint
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 Spanish onion, coarsely grated
1/3 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Sunflower oil, for shallow-frying
Lemon wedges and/or home-made Houmous, to serve
1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Method
Place cumin and coriander seeds in a frying pan and cook, stirring, over low-medium heat until fragrant. Cool. Place cooled seeds in a mortar and crush with a pestle to form a coarse powder. Using a food processor, process chickpeas until finely chopped and almost a paste. Transfer to a bowl. Add ground spices, garlic, herbs, onion and salt and pepper to taste, then mix well. Stir in flour, bicarbonate of soda and egg until well combined. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into walnut-sized balls then roll in sesame seeds to coat. Place on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or overnight) to firm.

Pour oil into a large, deep frying pan until 5cm-deep. Shallow-fry falafel in batches, turning until golden all over, then drain on paper towels. Serve with houmous and lemon wedges