So, I cooked up a mess of dried chickpeas. MMMM, chickpeas. I've gotten lazy about soaking them: just throw them in a slow cooker and add water and let 'em cook all night, and there you have it, beans. I had planned to make hummus and a stew or soup, but it turns out that I had a little more than I expected when all was said and done. I asked Michael whether he wanted chick pea burgers or a soup, and his reply was "falafel."
Well, now, that wasn't a choice, in large part because I do not know how to make it.
But, thanks to the magic of the internet, I managed something falafel-ish. Falafelish.
It's based on a combination of these two recipes on epicurios.com. I'm writing my process down not because I feel I improved on either recipe, but because both recipes state that you can used canned--and thus implying cooked--chickpeas.
Yeah. You can't.
Furthermore, I am one of those folks who hate cilantro, so substitutions were required.
Here we are:
- 1 or more cups cooked chickpeas. I measured out 4 quarter cups of my cooked chickpeas, but it seemed rather like more than a cup.
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon carrot greens, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (Of course I used Arwen's Dynamite for the Soul)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 tablespoons of chick pea flour
- enough plain breadcrumbs to be able to form patties with the whole mess above
- About 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
When the mash has finished resting, add breadcrumbs. You are going to have to add them by feel, because there is no telling how wet a particular mash is going to be. You have added enough breadcrumbs when you can roll the mixture into a ball (about the size of a golfball, per the other recipes, but I think mine were a bit smaller) and then flatten it to a patty and still be able to get it off your hands intact.
Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan. Add the patties, cook 'em, and drain 'em.
They were oddly pleasing, with a nice soft inside and a crispy outside, and Michael keeps eating them off the plate, suggesting that I may have to make something else for dinner tonight. Because they will be gone.
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