Chef John’s Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry garbanzo beans
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or more as needed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Oil for frying

Directions

Place garbanzo beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 12 to 24 hours. Drain.

Blend garbanzo beans, onion, parsley, garlic, flour, lemon juice, salt, cumin, coriander, baking soda, and cayenne pepper together in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until mixture is finely ground and holds together when pressed. Transfer garbanzo mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until flavors blend, 1 to 2 hours.

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Divide dough into 12 portions and roll each with moistened hands into a ball.

Working in batches, cook falafel balls in hot oil until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to drain.