FALAFEL:

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• cold water
• ¼ cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¾ cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
• ¾ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
• vegetable oil, for frying

TAHINI SAUCE:

• ¼ cup tahini, stirred well
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons ice cold water, plus more (as needed)

OPTIONAL FOR SERVING:

• sliced cucumber, red onion, tomato, fresh herbs
• Middle Eastern flatbread

MAKE THE FALAFEL:

• In a large glass bowl, combine the chickpeas and baking soda. Add enough cold water to cover by 4 inches. Cover the bowl and let the chickpeas soak for 24 hours. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. 
• Add the chickpeas, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until the chickpeas are broken up a bit. 
• Add the parsley and cilantro and process until the mixture comes together to form a dough. It should be a bit pasty in texture, but have some grit to it and not be completely pureed smooth. Transfer the chickpea mixture to a medium bowl and lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on top. Refrigerate until fully chilled, about 2 hours. 
• Use a 1½-tablespoon scoop to measure out the falafel mixture. Roll it into balls and slightly compact the balls with your hands
• Add 3 inches of oil to a 5-quart pot. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F, and then add 5 to 8 falafel, making sure to not overcrowd the pan. Cook until the falafel are golden brown outside, about 2 minutes. Adjust the heat as necessary to try to keep the temperature between 350F to 375F (use a candy thermometer or deep-fry thermometer). Use a slotted spoon to remove the falafel from the oil and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Cook the remaining falafel the same way. 

MAKE THE TAHINI SAUCE:

• Stir together the tahini, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in the lemon juice (the mixture will thicken). While stirring, add ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time to thin out the sauce until it reaches a consistency where you can drizzle it. 

SERVE:

• Serve the falafel along with the falafel sauce to drizzle on top. Eat it along with fresh vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato, red onion, and/or fresh herbs. Or make it into a sandwich with Middle Eastern flatbread. 

• Nutritional information is for the falafel and sauce only, and it DOES NOT INCLUDE the oil they are fried in.
• Do not use canned chickpeas for this recipe.
• If preparing this recipe as gluten-free, be sure to use a brand of Tahini that is known to be GF.
• If you double this recipe, you may need to process the falafel batter in 2 batches in a food processor. 
• The falafel shouldn’t fall apart in the oil while cooking. However, if you’re having trouble getting it to hold its shape before you fry it, you can add chickpea flour 1 teaspoon at a time until the falafel balls hold together.