Falafel

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I enjoyed the mellower taste, but I found myself missing the dried, soaked fava beans. I'm also accustomed to having this with a bit more garlic, onion and cayenne, though as with almost any cuisine, there are always variations, and I'd consider serving this to my own guests in a heartbeat (not everyone has my spicy tastes.

I also found that this mellower version pairs well with tzatziki sauce (Greek cucumber-yogurt sauce - and Ouzo :

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I've made this recipe many times and have to say it is better than most falafel I've had in restaurants. It's fun to make, too, because I toast and grind my own spices. The fragrance of toasting coriander and cumin is so beautiful.... and I think that makes a difference in the flavor of the falafel.

I don't know why so many people are having trouble with it falling apart; I never have had that problem. But if you are, I'd suggest following the recipe exactly as written. Use dried garbanzo beans and soak them the entire time recommended in the recipe - if you don't soak them long enough the mix will not stick together. You also MUST chill the mixture before shaping.

By the way, falafel mixture freezes and thaws nicely. Just be sure to push all the air out of the zippered freezer bag and let it thaw in the fridge.

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This recipe worked perfectly and was delicious!

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This recipe definitely deserves 5 stars. Its too bad that people aren't following the directions and then giving it a low rating for what I would call 'user error' Don't be afraid to try the recipe just make sure you follow all the directions exactly. DO NOT use canned garbanzo beans and make sure you chill the mixture just before rolling up the balls. I used a mini deep fryer and it makes the cooking process much simpler. I also added a tiny bit more garlic and red pepper because we love spicy food. But you've just got to take the time and use the DRY BEANS otherwise it will never stick together.

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I was so happy that this stayed together! My previous experience with falafel was disastrous. You truly do have to use dried chickpeas. I did, however, cheat and do the quick soak method. I was a little doubtful that this would form into balls for frying. The mix was very dry and would hardly come together in the food processor. However, the balls stayed together perfectly and fried beautifully! I was really pleased.

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There seem to be a lot of people who had trouble with this recipe. I've made it a few times and have always gotten great results. As long as you do use dried chickpeas and follow the directions as stated -- which means soaking them, pureeing to the right consistency, and making sure to refrigerate the mixture for 15 minutes or so before rolling -- these hold together just fine. Don't get me wrong, they're not super-sturdy and firm, but they shouldn't be, or they would fry up like rocks. Just use a gentle hand! They're delicious, easy to do as long as you plan ahead, and make great leftovers. We fry them up on Sundays and eat them all week for lunches at work.

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Good recipe -- after making these and checking the reviews, I was surprised so many had trouble keeping them from falling apart when cooking. You HAVE to use dried chickpeas because the falafel consistency relies on them being par-cooked. Canned chickpeas have way too much moisture in them, hence extra flour or cornstarch to absorb the moisture can help if canned is your only choice. For me, I did the simple quick boil for two minutes of a bag of dried peas, then let them sit covered for a couple of hours. Once they were triple-sized, they puree nicely in the food processor and hold together very well. It's all about the moisture.

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I've been looking for a good falafel recipe, and this one seemed delicious. Once I got everything together, I decided to pan fry them, and they turned into a disgusting gooey mess in the pan. Luckily I saved part of the batter, added some oil and flour, and they stayed together beautifully. This is a delicious recipe, you just need to add something so they stay together when you are cooking them!

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This is the best falafel recipe I have ever made. I read the reviews and in order to avoid the patties from falling apart, I did use the 1/3 c cornstarch. (With other recipes the patties fell apart. My deep fryer needs to be replaced so I baked them. They turned out perfectly. I am so pleased with myself and so was my whole "family". Plenty to eat with a bit left over for my DH's lunch the next day. Kudos!

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I have made this recipe several times, including a time with my friend's husband who is from Egypt. You may need to add more water for a good consistency to the falafel mix. DO NOT use canned chickpeas. If you do, the patties will disintegrate when you fry them. YOU MUST refrigerate the mix before frying. It is imperative that the mix is cold or they will fall apart. I love this recipe and all of the accompanying ones too!