Felafel
These felafel are made throughout the middle east using either dried large broad beans or chick peas. However, we are now selling a British grown bean called Fava and it is these that I have used for this recipe. It is most important to use dried beans, not already cooked ones as these will not hold together. You can use a mixture of green herbs – parsley, coriander and dill all go well and it is possible to substitute young leeks for the spring onions. The quantities given here make about 20, but you can halve or double up as required. This recipe is gluten free.
Ingredients
- 200g dried fava beans
- 100g spring onions
- 100g green herbs (see above)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- half teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- 50g sesame seeds
- oil for frying
To Cook
Put the beans in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water on them. Leave for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Drain the beans and shake very well to get the excess moisture off. Spread out on a clean tea towel and leave for 10 minutes. Roughly chop the onions and herbs and put in the bowl of a food processor. Add the beans, ground spices and salt and wazz for a few minutes until you have a green creamy mixture with the texture of coarse breadcrumbs.
Mix the cornflour and the sesame seeds together in a small bowl. Put half the mixture onto a chopping board.Take a dessert spoonful of the bean mixture and squeeze it together in your hand. Roll it in the flour/seed mixture and set aside. Make all the balls this way, using the flour and seed mix as required.
Heat the oil to 180ºC and carefully lower about 7 or 8 felafel into it. Fry for about 8 minutes until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat until all the felafel are cooked.