I also like a serious mix of herbs and aromatics. Most falafel recipes call for at least an onion, garlic, and parsley, but I like to go a little crazy. I like to use a mix of cilantro, scallion, and crushed red pepper flakes, in addition to the parsley and garlic. I also swap out the onion for a medium shallot. (Recipes that call for portions of onions are a pet peeve of mine, and a whole onion is far too much for this amount of chickpeas.) Whatever you do, mince all of your aromatics before adding them to the processor. You really don’t want to over-process the chickpeas, and pre-chopping will reduce that risk.

Combine the chickpeas with spices and minced aromatics. (Kate Williams)

Add all of these additions to the food processor with a hefty amount of salt and begin to pulse the mixture. Go slowly — you’re looking for a somewhat coarse paste that is moist enough to hold together, but not so moist that it clumps up into a Play-Doh texture. Those little pebbles of chickpeas are what give the final falafel texture. Try pinching some of the mixture together. It should sort of stick together, but it shouldn’t actually be sticky. Transfer to a bowl and let the mixture rest for a few minutes while you make the dipping sauce.

The processed falafel mixture should be a coarse paste. You want it to stick together, but you also want to have small pieces of chickpeas throughout. (Kate Williams)

Tahini sauce is traditional (and delicious) here, but there are lots of different ways to make it. I like to mix equal parts tahini and water, and then add in a bit of lemon juice and garlic. I prefer to grate the garlic through a Microplane into the sauce, but you can also use a garlic press to make a paste. Season to taste with salt and set the sauce aside until serving.

Tahini sauce is a simple mixture of tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. (Kate Williams)

Now it’s frying time. Frying foods is really not difficult or challenging, but it does require attention. I like to fry in my enameled Dutch oven, but you can use a large saucepan or pot, or even a deep cast iron skillet if you’ve got one. You definitely do not need a designated fryer.

Pour one inch of vegetable oil into your chosen frying vessel. I like to use safflower oil, but you could use canola oil or even peanut oil if you prefer. In my pot, one inch of oil usually works out to around 3 cups. Place the pot over medium high heat and bring the oil up to 375 degrees. It will take awhile to get this hot, so be patient. The easiest way to know if the oil is ready is to (obviously) use an instant-read thermometer. You can also use a candy thermometer, or you can wing it. To test if the oil is ready without a thermometer, add a small pinch of falafel dough to the oil and take a peek. It should start bubbling immediately and turning golden brown within 30 seconds.

Roll the falafel balls in sesame seeds for extra crunch and color. (Kate Williams)

While the oil is heating, roll the falafel balls. Gently pinch off a portion of falafel dough and roll into a ball about the size of a walnut. It takes a gentle touch. Try not to compress the dough too much.

I really like my falafel coated in sesame seeds, so once I’ve rolled a couple of balls, I’ll transfer them to a pie plate filled with the seeds. Roll them around to coat (it won’t be totally even, but that’s okay) and transfer to a plate. You can also skip the sesame seeds if you prefer.

Once the falafel are all rolled and the oil is hot, transfer half of the falafel to the oil. (If you’re using a smaller saucepan, you may need to fry the falafel four at a time.) I like to use my hands to gently place the falafel in the oil. It may seem scary to get your hands that close, but it is actually much safer and runs far less risk of splattering hot oil all over your face and hands. Let the falafel sit, undisturbed, for about 30 seconds to form a crust. Then give them a gentle stir and continue to fry. I like to flip/stir the falafel about every 30 seconds or so to ensure even browning.

Fry the falafel in small batches in 375 degree oil. They should bubble immediately when they hit the hot oil. (Kate Williams)

Let them fry until they are very deep golden brown. It’ll take around five minutes. You’ll likely be tempted to pull them out early. Don’t. The chickpeas need the full five minutes to cook through. If they’re browning too fast, turn down the heat. If they’re not browning enough, increase the heat. Here, it really helps to have a thermometer to monitor the oil’s temperature — you want it to stay between 350 and 375 degrees for the best results.

Let the falafel fry until they are deep golden brown, about five minutes. (Kate Williams)

After the falafel are well-browned, transfer them to a cooling rack set inside a baking sheet. (Use a slotted spoon or a spider for this step, not your hands.) Bring the oil back to 375 degrees and repeat the frying steps with the remaining falafel.

Serve the falafel as fresh from the fryer as possible, drizzled with or dipped into the tahini sauce.

Homemade falafel with tahini sauce. (Kate Williams)

Recipe: Falafel with Tahini Sauce

Makes 1 dozen falafel balls (serves 3 to 4)

tahinitahini

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