Falafel recipe

Trader Joe is no longer sells our favorite Falafel mix. This recipe is from Downshiftology.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight (don't use canned chickpeas)
• ½ cup roughly chopped onion
• 1 cup roughly chopped parsley about a one large bunch
• 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro about a one large bunch
• 1 small green chile pepper serrano or jalapeno pepper
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chickpea flour (or other flour)
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• oil for frying

Instructions

• The night before, soak the dried chickpeas in water. Make sure the water covers the chickpeas by 2 to 3 inches, as they'll triple in size.
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to your food processor, along with the onion, parsley, cilantro, pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom and black pepper.
• Pulse the food processor several times until the mixture resembles the texture of coarse sand.
• Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and add the chickpea flour and baking soda. Stir together, then cover or add a lid and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to one hour.
• Use your hands, an ice cream scoop or falafel scoop to form the falafel into balls or patties. If you find the mixture is too wet, you can add another tablespoon of chickpea flour. If it's too dry and crumbly, you can add a teaspoon or two of water or lemon juice.
• Once the falafel are formed, you can cook them by your preferred method mentioned above. To deep fry the falafel, add about 3 inches of oil to a pot on medium heat. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C). Cook the falafel in batches (about 6 to 8 at a time) for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden.
• Use a skimmer to check the color of the falafel and make sure they don't over cook. Then remove them to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Serve the falafel immediately, while warm and crispy on the outside. They're delicious served with tahini sauce as well.