Falafel recipe tweaks?

Question

I just tried a recipe for falafel from the How to Cook Everything book. I've made falafel from a box before and it had a grainy texture and formed into balls and pan fried beautifully. I want to duplicate that recipe but the one I used last night (from scratch) resembled hummus and didn't fry worth spit. Any ideas on how to get a grainier texture and make it easier to fry or bake in the oven?

Answer 1

I make mine with a combo of canned drained chickpeas, a packaged or dry mix for binder, a bit of chickpea flour and my seasonings, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and I add some tahini for flavour, it is best to make it in a food processor and pulse it until just barely broken up take some out and puree the rest, add the 2 together, and then let it rest and absorb the moisture.

I do not fry mine I have several T-Fal skillets and make small patties and do then in it with a spritz of olive and canola oil, and make them up and keep them, and for a fast snack I just zap them. It is important to do this as you want texture, but you also want them to stick together, I have been using this recipe for years ever since I had my first falafel here in Toronto Canada at a Jewish/Israeli place years ago and fell in love with them and I have had them in probably 20 different places and 5 different country's.

Answer 2

Bob's Red Mill - while ground FLAXSEED MEAL.

add some chickpeas,black beans,and artichoke hearts for the taste. Yummmmm.

p.s. don't forget the hummus & gaucamole.

Answer 3

You could try adding a little garbanzo bean flour until the texture is right.  I have some form Bob's Red Mill that I use for thickening chili and stews.  The chickpea flavor should fit in perfectly with the falafel.

If the flour is too finely ground to get that grainy texture you want, how about adding some unprocessed wheat bran?  It may change the flavor just a bit, though.