Falafel

Falafel is delicious to make at home and you can change up the herbs and spices to match your tastes if you choose.  It does take a little bit of planning ahead to soak the dry chickpeas, but the texture is much better than what I've been able to achieve with canned chickpeas.1 cup garbanzo beans (dry)½ white onion, roughly chopped4 cloves garlic2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon cumin1 teaspoon baking powder4 to 6 Tablespoons flourvegetable oil for fryingThe night before you want to have falafel, place the dry garbanzo beans in a large bowl and cover with water so that there is at least 2 inches of water above the dry beans. Leave to soak overnight.The next morning, drain the garbanzo beans.Place onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add parley and cilantro and process until finely minced and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the garbanzo beans and process until the mixture is finely ground and has a texture similar to a coarse meal. Add the salt, cumin, baking powder and 4 Tablespoons flour. Process just until combined. Scrape into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.I typically pan fry the falafel. If you prefer to deep fry them, shape them into balls and fry until dark brown on the exterior.If you have trouble getting the mixture to hold its shape, add more flour a teaspoon or two at a time.To pan fry, shape the falafel dough into small patties. Heat a skillet with a thin layer of vegetable oil and fry the patties. Flip when the bottom is dark brown and fry until both sides are dark brown. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Sprinkle with salt.Falafel is often served with a yogurt based sauce. I typically mix vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt with lemon juice, garlic salt, and dill to taste.