This Is Not Falafel!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 พ.ย. 2020
- This Is Not Falafel!
Serves 6
185g (1 cup) dry chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours, drained and rinsed
1 small yellow onion, diced (100g)
1 garlic clove, sliced
25g parsley, cilantro, mint
175g carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick and cooked in 2 Tbsp olive oil with a pinch of salt in a small covered pan stirring occasionally until tender and golden brown
1 heaping tsp Smoked paprika
1 heaping tsp coriander
1 heaping tsp cumin
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
8.5 g salt (1 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher or 1.5 tsp table salt)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (18g)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Heaping 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Canola or some other neutral oil for frying
Process chickpeas in a food processor scraping down often until very finely ground, but not smooth. Remove to a bowl. Process onions, garlic, herbs, carrots and all the oil they were cooked in in the food processor until finely ground. Add to chickpeas. Add smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, pomegranate molasses, salt, pepper, flour and 1 Tbsp olive oil and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle in the baking soda, pour the lemon juice on top (the soda will foam and fizz), and stir it in thoroughly. Cover and chill in the fridge for 30 min (longer is fine).
Use 1 Tbsp measure to scoop the mixture. Level the tablespoon and scoop out the mixture onto a clean working surface using a small spoon (an eating spoon, not a measuring one). Don’t worry if the piles are messy and uneven. When all the mixture is divided, gently shape each pile into a rough ball with barely damp hands. At this point, the balls can be frozen in a single layer, then moved into a freezer bag. You can cook them right away or directly from the frozen state.
Bring 1 inch of neutral oil like canola to 350F in a small deep pot. Carefully lower as many balls into the pot as can fit comfortably. It’s a good idea to lower them into the oil with a spoon to avoid burning yourself. Cook until brown on the first side, 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook until brown on the other side. Sometimes they only want to stay on one side, which is fine. They will continue to darken after you remove them, so take them out slightly before they reach your desired color. Remove the balls to a paper towel lined plate using a slotted spoon. Add more oil as necessary (wait for it to reach 350F) and fry the other balls. Serve immediately with tahini sauce.
Tahini sauce:
1 garlic clove grated on a microplane
2 Tbsp (30g) lemon juice or to taste
3 Tbsp (45g) tahini (stir before using)
1/2 cup (120g) greek yogurt or sourcream
Salt
Mix everything together. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
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I haven't laughed so hard in years! The truth in why we all have scales!
ROFLMAO!!! I had to back it up 3 times to make sure I heard her right!
actually adding yogurt to your tahini sauce is traditional! at least where I come from in the Middle East...
You are gorgeous...
I am from Egypt, we make falafel with fava beans instead of chickpeas and it comes out moist. However i had some chickpeas around so i tried your recipe. The 1st patch was a fail because i overcrowded the frying pan, the falafel fell apart and crumbled on top of the oil. 2nd patch i added less falafels and it turned out amazing ! Served with tahini sauce and salad, my family loved it. Thank you Helen for another great video and recipe.
thank you so much for giving this recipe a try. glad your family enjoyed it :)
These are by far the best falafels I have ever tried. Taking the first bite made me almost cry :p. Instead of gulping them all down I contained my self and took my time so that I can savor them the way they deserved. Needless to say that it was one of the two best dishes I tried in 2020. Aaaaaah, this recipe will stay forever in my tabs.
I’m vegan so I don’t regularly follow your content but lucky me my partner does. He was the cook for this dish and thank you dear because I know he is reading the comments.
And of course thank you Helen for uploading this wonderful recipe. Keep up what you’re doing because you’re also really fun :)
So glad you enjoyed them :)
😊😊
I asked a restaurant how they get theirs so moist. They told me the "secret" is avocado. I gave it a try and since then I always add avocado. Crispy on the outside, super moist inside. No flour or baking soda needed.
@youtubeAcc have you tried fried avocado bites ? Super Yum 🤗😋
Sounds interesting, how much avo would you use to Helen’s recipe?
Oooooh! I love this idea, thanks for the tip!
@@minnoux I've never tried Helen's recipe. For a traditional recipe that starts with 280g dried chickpeas I use one medium avocado. I guess you could use up to two.
@@benjwilliams5104 You won't regret it. What I love most about this is that they stay moist longer. Especially after coming out of the fridge.
yogurt is actually really traditional lol. i'm an arab, so i make falafel the traditional way, and they're not dry because i eat them with sauce and pickles and cucumbers and the like. but i think your way is pretty cool, and i might try it
Did you try it, Suzan? And what was your verdict?!
Though probably not traditional, I had a very nice falafel wrap the other week, where the 'falafels' were surprisingly underseasoned and/or dry. But, the brightness of the pickled vegetables and the sauces wonderfully complemented them and made me crave their dry umami in every bite. Reminds me of the food portion philosophy that Adam Ragusea espouses: make each component imperfect on its own, so that they complete each other. (E.g. underseasoned carbs with too-salty-on-its-own sauce.)
But as Helen says in the video (about not putting these in a sandwich), these are meant to be delicious on their own, so they're kind of fighting in a different league. Very cool, and I look forward to trying them one day.
@@IndoPersian1969 and yogurt is not a greek thing, it is a turkish thing. even the word is turkish!
@@salamanje noone said yoghurt is greek, but there is such a thing as Greek yoghurt.
I think that this is the first time that I have laughed out loud while watching a video like this one. I had to watch it twice to concentrate on the technique! 😂🇬🇧
Hi Helen, I've been watching your channel for just over a year and just wanted to say thank you for all the informative and easy to watch videos! I've never had a bad experience with your recipes and I suspect this falafel will be no different. Hope you and your family are well. Looking forward to whatever comes next!
I make a similar variation on falafel but add an 8 oz package of thawed and squeezed frozen spinach in place of carrots for a bit of extra moisture and flavor. I think it complements the other herbs really well and adds to the vibrant green inside that I like so much in falafel.
WOW..... I love spinach. Will be trying this with my mixture.
I felt a need to defend falafel, but as usual, you made me happy to see your take on the traditional recipe. I love your candor and how relatable you are, Helen.
Good idea! - The secret is not the carrots themselves - It's the addition of a cooked element in the Falafel ball that adds moisture to the final result.
I love this video and thank you for this recipe and your great commentary!
Chefs are all middle schoolers at heart. I’m glad to see you’re really one of us. Drop your balls, indeed!
That looks amazing! Can't wait to try it. All of your recipes come out perfect. I made your Earl grey chiffon cake last week and it was so good that my sister asked me to make it for her wedding
Oh my gosh -- I am honored! Congrats to your sister :)
Helen, I have tried your (not) falafels in a gluten-free version: using rice flour in half the batch and oat flour in the other half, instead of wheat flour. The rice flour batch came out very good, the oat flour one ok but definitely more oily. I froze the uncooked leftovers like you suggested. Thank you!
glad you enjoyed it. thanks for the tip on the gluten free version :)
I immediately hit the thumbs up button anytime I start watching a new Helen video. I haven't been wrong yet.
Yup! Same!
Helen, thank you so much for your videos. I needed some new inspiration (and to upgrade my skills in the kitchen), and your videos are perfect! thanks for the laughs as well.
Brilliant! Thank you for sharing this.
You are fantastic! Love your style and what a super recipe! Thankyou sooooo much x
Thank you for all you do, and this singular inspiration! Now I know what to do with all the butternut squash I harvested this fall!
I just love watching you. all your recipes are brilliant
These look yum! I have a favourite recipe, but will enjoy trying this different version!
I enjoy these videos so much. Brilliant!
Thank you for this video.
Those look amazing.
I make falafel in a meat grinder , very good results..definitely gonna try this recipe, thx!
Fluffy and moist on the inside 😍 just what I wanted for my falafel!!
Looks so yummy!!
These look great!
You make my heart happy. I will now give Not Falafel to my daughter, who is not awful.
I will try this as all the falafel I have had have chokingly dry.
Im always saddened by this because man when youve had great, tender, moist falafel with a beautiful crust, ohh man itll be one of those things u crave just as much as anything with meat
This is the most subversive thing I've seen you do. Curious to try it. And kudos for your bravery in taking on such a divisive and well-loved food with a new idea.
Omg Im lovin this. This recipe. You.
I’m really glad to have found this video. I love the taste of falafels but have always been disappointed by how dry they are. I always thought the places I was getting them from must have been doing something wrong.
I really like the idea; thanks for sharing. I think I'll try it with peas instead of carrots.
Love your videos...and your fun!!!
I made this for dinner today. They were delicious! My hubby never had a falafel before, and he loved them!
so glad you enjoyed them :)
this is a great recipe!
i found a wonderful non-dairy yogurt that's made with pine nuts, it's got a really great flavor and a subtle natural sweetness. ''lava'' brand yogurt (i found it in whole foods market), i'm going to be trying that for my tahini sauce. thank you for the great ideas!
You’re so happy and cheerful in this video!
Hi Helen,
I love looking at your videos.
I love falafel but I find it too grainy.
So I decided to grind the chickpeas to a fine fine grind, I put garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, paprika and whatever you wish.
I put a little oil in a narrow saucepan , use a spoon and throw small batches in the oil. It is so delicious.
Try it Helen,
Very convenient, barely an inconvenience!!
Wow, somehow i stumbled on this video and channel. Wow. You are so cool.
“So back to salt”
Haha you’re very refreshing to watch
Why am I only finding out about this instructor now? She is awesome!!!
Made them tonite for dinner, Sooooo amazing!
so glad you enjoyed them :)
Even though many people here said that a tahini-yogurt is common, at least in Israel, in falafel-shawarma shops, it's not. Yogurt cannot be sold in the same place with meat, as it is not "kosher", therefore it is not commonly done. A falafel is usually a dish that's neither dairy nor meat-based here. Goes for both Jewish owned shops and Muslim ones (most have customers from all backgrounds and religions), at least in my experience, but will be happy to hear if someone knows otherwise? How is the dairy tahini thing goes in Islam-Hallal?
Falafel is usually served with tahini sauce but adding dairy tahini is halal in islam .
The cream puffs video is on it's way… you mean the one that came out last week? Great video btw
oh sh*t -- I posted them out of order and didn't even notice. good thing someone is paying attention ;)
Gram scale, memory loss, it's all adding up... :D
Hi Helen, what can be substituted for the pomegranate molasses? Love your videos, thanks!
Helen I enjoyed listening & watching you. Have you tried mixing equal portions of chickpeas & fava beans. I have had it at an Egyptian restaurant & they are deliciously moist😋
Helen, in Egypt we make the Falafel from fava beans, not chickpeas. This produces a much moister mixture. You can probably google: Egyptian Falafel or Tamiya recipe to see examples.
Some have experimented having chickpeas and fava beans together and it seemed to have added the right moisture.
Gotta say, love the creativity of this recipe. Been a subscriber for years. Great work!!
I've had fava bean falafel and loved it! I think it's a lot tastier than the chickpea version. The reason I tried to develop my recipe with chickpeas is because they are easier to find in American supermarket. I'll see if I can find dried favas online.
@@helenrennie You can get fava beans at Stop & Shop.
I tried falafel 20 years ago in Israel and that night at the hotel I was sick. Lasted for 3 days. I doubt that the falafel was related to my illness, but it was the last thing I tasted when it came back up, so due to association it has left a bad taste in my memory. Last year I decided to give them another try and found an “authentic” Saudi recipe online. It called for so much cilantro that one bite was more than enough for me and I ended up tossing the rest. This recipe looks good so I’m ready to give them another try.
feel free to replace cilantro with parsley or mint if you don't like it.
What brand non stick pan did you use? I need one and would love a recommendation. Love your videos! You've got me weighing everything!
the non-stick pan I used to cook carrots is Misen. I wouldn't buy it again. They wear out quickly. The pot I used to deep fry is some unknown brand from TJ Maxx. Google for a mini wok if you want something like that.
I'll go ahead and save this recipe ;) thanks
If you have more vegan recipes please do share!! ♡
And speaking of "cool twists", a tzatziki would be fab with these!!!
Love this idea to enhance the basic recipe! Must try this one. I’ve enjoyed all your videos and recipes. I notice you use pomegranate molasses quite a bit. Where do you find it? How about a video about when and how to use it?
My local Asian market has it, and I'm sure you could get on Amzn.
🤣🤣 while the falafel mix is chilling, let's skin up a big blunt! Awesome 👌
You didn't want to go traditional but went full traditional with the sauce. This is how the sauce is made in the original countries.
I like falafel, but I have to admit these are terrific. The smoked paprika is addictive!
I still put them in a sandwich along with classic falafel and it was delicious. I have falafel still in my freezer since I made both classic falafel and this recipe, so next will be a plate of hummus, vegetables, and tahini sauce to switch it up a little. I personally love Kenji’s tahini sauce so I made that instead, but I’ve made versions like Helen’s and they’re good, too.
I love traditional falafel but I'm very interested in trying this variation
I too always struggle with actual Falafel. I like the notion of turning this into a moistier and perhaps sweeter version with sweet potatoes though.
yum sounds good
I'm not sold on all of the sweet ingredients, especially the carrots. It's a matter of taste I suppose, but my go-to is potatoes, which is very common in Iranian falafel. I'm also very confused about the choice to not remove the chickpea skins. While I understand that removing the skins is arduous to the point of bordering to prohibitive, I think that the skins ruin a wonderful dish.
I definitely remove the skins for hummus. The texture is far superior to blending with them on.
I add cauliflower rice to my falafel. And I have always made my tahini sauce with sour cream. Seeing Helen do this validates my crazy choices!!
Looks good...Danke
Hi Helen, I discovered your channel very recently. Can give more information on the frying pot you used in this video. It would be even better if you give a link where to buy it. Thanks. Keep up the great work!!
Thanks for calling me out on why I have a gram scale! Shhhhh.
Lol I love her. The family friendly channel bit was funny
New to your channel - this was delightful! I'm pretty sure I can substitute gluten free flour and come up with a delicious and safe result! Thank you! 🙏🏻
Awesome video! Can one use canned chickpeas instead of soaked dried ones? Thanks!
no -- the texture of canned chickpeas is WAY softer than soaked chickpeas.
Running to the kitchen after this video! 😍😍😱😱😱😱
I tried to search the comments, but I would love to find the pot you used here. Can you post a link?
Helen, could you please share a link for the frying pan in your video. Thanks
Thanks for the video, looks great, looking forward to trying it. Question: what is the purpose of baking soda in the recipe and why does it need to be activated? Спасибо!
baking soda produces a lighter texture. It's a chemical leavening agent. In order for it to work, it needs acid -- this makes it produce bubbles which expand when you apply heat.
@@helenrennie thanks a lot for the reply. I was just under the impression in order for that to work it need to be activated just right before you cook something. In this case it is activated about 30min before cooking...
traditionally falafel are spiced with cumin and coriander as a base and other spices are what you prefer to add like paprika, tumeric ect
and also white onion of often used over yellow as it is milder. Ofc as u said you didn't do it traditionally and im not berating you for it, just pointing out how its make traditionally for those who might want to know
I used to think j hate falafel because all the falafel at home was dry
I moved somewhere different and where I live now I struggle to find dry falafel. I love it now!
I have my scales because I buy and sell scrap gold. Honestly officer.
Helen is a good reason to visit Boston.
Thanks for the channel🥰, can I ask what can you use instead of pomegranate molasses? I can't find it where I live (Italy) thank you
use balsamic vinegar, but reduce the amount to 1 tsp
Io la ho ordinata su Amazon!
Have you tried onion bhaji? They are also chickpea fritters. Or chilli bites?
Just googled for onion bhaji -- they sound so good :)
@@helenrennie They are the best! Greetings from Bombay, Helen! HUGE fan here!
Thank you for the great video. Is it possible to use a different binder than the two tablespoons of flour? Or could it possibly be left out? I roommate has an intolerance to most grains, but I am sure she would love these!
I've never done this with wheat flour. In my country people use chickpea flour. You can find in South Asian shops and natural food shops.
I would try chickpea flour or rice flour.
@@helenrennie Rice flour doesn't bind - it adds crunch. Great for onion bhajis, but not for falafel where you want a moist result.
Vegetarian catering cook weighing in: Psyllium husk is my go-to binder for gluten free balls and patties! It works so well that I've started added it in "regular" recipes as well. But it's super strong, so as a substitution for 2 tbsp of wheat flour I would add maybe 1 tsp of psyllium and 1½ tbsp of cornstarch. Works best if you let the mixture sit for a while before shaping. :^)
@@elleboman8465 What a great idea!
@Helen Rennie Wondering why baking soda and lemon juice instead of baking powder?
baking powder might work too. I haven't tried.
The last time i was this early falafel was still moist
Love this 💋😘😍👏
Can't wait to try this!! Could I substitute honey for the pom molasses?
Pomegranate molasses are tart, not at all like honey! Something like balsamic vinegar is more similar.
@@annchovy6 Thank you!!
That scale joke made me lol at 3 am
Helen! I hope you’ve treated yourself to a proper 14-cup Cuisinart since this video. You’ve earned it!
What are the pink pickles from Middle Eastern restaurants called? They're delicious and I love them.
#realcomment. Do you have to use a bovine/ovine dairy product for the yoghurt? I have allergies.
you can substitute a vegan yogurt or sour cream
If you think falafel is dry, then you’re not eating good falafel.
Totally agree
Hi Helen, What is the diameter of your mini wok. Thanks.
I know this is older video but I must know about the little "bowl" pan....please : )
Anu suggestion for a spice to add to replace paprika due to allergies (all capsicum peppers allergy)? I am wandering if a little tomato paste would be a good alternative?
traditional falafel has no paprika, so it would be fine to leave it out
Just leave it out. I add it for smokiness. tomato paste isn't smoky.
Do you have a Hummus recipe?
I've made these 3 times, freezing the balls each time. Twice, they were still frozen on the inside, even after they were well browned in the oil. What am I doing wrong?
Any substitute for the pomegranate molassas?
balsamic vinegar mixed with honey or maple syrup (50/50)
Yum!
My last falafel was so dry, I sold it to my neighbours as a moisture absorber.
I feel like eggplant could be a good add-in for these. Might absorb extra oil though.
She mentioned they freeze well; I imagine that freezing the eggplant falafel would reduce oil absorption during frying? I'd have to try it, though.
What is the diameter of the pot?
You're a really good cook. The only non-vegan chef I follow.
What’s that pan style called? Having made this recipe once, I can see how much oil it takes to get depth in a straight sided pan, and would appreciate one like yours. Thanks! #realcomment
search on amazon for a "mini wok"
@@helenrennie thank you! I was searching all over restaurant supply places seeing all kinds of frying pans of different shapes but nothing quite like this.
Hi Helen, can we fry in the AirFryer?
I have no idea. I don't have one.
AirFryer is besicly a table top convection oven. It's great, but it has nothing to do with actual frying.