1 - small red onion
3 - garlic cloves
2 cans - (15oz each) chickpeas
1 3/4 cups - all-purpose flour- plus a little extra
1 cup - fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup - fresh parsley
2 tsp - harissa paste
1 tsp - ground cumin
2 tsp - salt
1 tsp - pepper
1 - lemon
1 2/3 cups - panko breadcrumbs
1 cup - unsweetened plant-based milk
3 cups - vegetable oil- for frying
Double batch of hummus (can use store bought) - Peel the onion and the garlic | Drain and rinse the chickpeas and tip them into the bowl lined with a kitchen towel | Pat the chickpeas dry to remove as much moisture as possible
- Put the onion, garlic, and chickpeas into the food processor | Add 3/4 cup of the flour, the cilantro parsley, harissa, cumin, 1 tsp of the salt, and 1/2 tsp of the pepper | Cut the lemon in half and squeeze in the juice, catching any seeds with your other hand | Whizz in the food processor to a thick paste that's not to sticky (if it seems too wet, add another tablespoon or two of flour)
- With lightly floured hands, take teaspoons of the mixture at a time and roll them into 3/4-inch balls about the size of large marbles
- Put the panko breadcrumbs into a bowl | Put the remaining 1 cup flour, the plant-based milk, and the remaining salt and pepper into a bowl and stir them together until you have a thick, creamy batter | Dip 2 or 3 balls at a time into the batter, shake off any excess, and transfer them to the bowl of breadcrumbs, rolling them around until they are completely coated | Repeat until all the balls are coated
- Pour the vegetable oil into the large deep saucepan so that it comes no more than two-thirds up the side of the pan | Place the pan over medium heat | When a small piece of bread dropped into the ban turns golden brown after 60 seconds you are good to go
- Fry the falafels in batches of 10 for 3-4 minutes, then turn them over and fry for a further 3 minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp | Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels to remove the excess oil | Serve with hummus
1/3 cup - good-quality tahini
2–4 tbsp - cold water- or more if needed
2 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp - ground cumin
3/4 tsp - fine sea salt
2 - medium cloves garlic- peeled and smashed
2 - 3 tbsp - lemon juice (1 lemon worth)
1 (15 ounce) can - chickpeas*- rinsed and drained
optional toppings: extra drizzle of olive oil- chopped fresh parsley- sprinkle of ground sumac or paprika- toasted pine nuts
- Add tahini, cold water, olive oil, cumin, salt, garlic and lemon juice to a food processor. Puree until smooth.
- Add in the chickpeas. Puree for 3-4 minutes, pausing halfway to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the hummus is smooth. If it seems too thick, add in another tablespoon or two of water.
- Taste and season with additional salt, cumin, and/or lemon juice if needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with your desired toppings. Or transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- feel free to instead use:
- 1) Chickpeas that have been cooked from scratch: Either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop. I recommend overcooking them a bit to slightly soften the chickpeas and loosen up the skins.
- 2) Canned chickpeas that have been simmered for 20 minutes: If you have the extra time, just rinse and drain your chickpeas. Transfer them to a saucepan and cover with an extra inch or two of water. Then bring to a simmer, continue simmering for 20 minutes, and drain.
- These two methods may yield slightly smoother hummus. But in my experience, the difference was negligible and arguably not worth the extra time and effort.