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You can freeze the cooked falafel for up to 3 months, reheat them for 15–20 minutes in a preheated oven at 175°C (350°F/Gas 4).
Photo by Patricia Niven
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“The Beer Kitchen” is filled with a variety of recipes that can be cooked with or pair nicely with beer.
Photo by Patricia Niven
4 servings SERVINGS
Ingredients
- 300 g (10-1/2 oz/1-1/3 cups) dried chickpeas (garbanzos), rinsed
- 330 ml (11-1/4 fl oz/1-1/3 cups) Belgian wheat beer
- 30 g (1 oz) each of fresh mint, parsley and coriander (cilantro) leaves, roughly chopped
- 5 good-sized spring onions (scallions), white and pale green parts only, roughly chopped (reserve the dark green parts to garnish)
- 4 large garlic cloves, pounded to a paste with a bit of salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon harissa enough groundnut, grapeseed or other neutral oil to cover 2 cm (3/4 in) of the base of a large frying pan (skillet)
To serve:
- lemon wedges (optional)
- good-quality extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
- toasted sesame seeds
Directions
- At least 12 hours before you want to cook your falafel, put the rinsed chickpeas in a bowl big enough to allow them to swell to three times their original size.
- Pour over the wheat beer and top up with enough cold water to cover by at least 5 cm (2 in).
- Refrigerate.
- Drain the chickpeas and shake off as much liquid as possible, blot with paper towels and leave to air dry, spread on a baking tray (sheet) for around 10 minutes.
- Put the dried chickpeas in a food processor and add all the other ingredients apart from the oil.
- Pulse until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, and the mix just about holds together with a gentle squeeze.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Form the falafel mixture into golf ball sized balls, and place on a lightly oiled plate.
- Warm the oil in a large, deep frying pan (skillet) over medium-high heat.
- When ready to cook, gently lower the first falafel into the hot oil with a fork.
- Check it’s lightly fizzing, not spattering, and that the oil reaches about a third of the way up (this should rise to halfway when more falafel are added to the pan).
- Continue to add as many falafel as will fit in pan a few centimetres (inches) apart, turn the heat to high for 15 seconds and lower back to medium-high again.
- Cook for about. 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Repeat, if necessary, keeping the first batch covered in a warm oven.
- When cooked, drain the falafels on paper towel, sprinkle with some lemon juice, if you like, a splash of good-quality olive oil, if using, and some salt.
- Garnish with green spring onion tops and sesame seeds and enjoy warm (not hot).More from The Beer Kitchen:Beer Sausage Recipe
- Proper Scotch Eggs Recipe
Reprinted with Permission from The Beer Kitchen and Published by Hardie Grant Books.
