Falafel is the national dish of Egypt and most likely originated there, though several countries in the Middle East claim ownership of these delicious, deep fried snacks! They're surprisingly simple to make (once you’ve soaked your chickpeas!), and make a really satisfying lunch with some salad, pickles and pitta breads.

FALAFEL BLEND (1 portion = 2 tbsp): cumin, coriander, fennel, cinnamon, green cardamon, mild chilli flakes, oil, salt, Urfa chilli, oil, salt, paprika, cayenne chilli

May contain CELERY, MUSTARD and SESAME. Allergens are listed in CAPITALS

Falafel Recipe:

You Need: 

2 cloves of garlic - finely grated or crushed
30g bunch of coriander - roughly chopped
30g bunch of parsley - roughly chopped
200g dried chickpeas - soaked in cold water overnight, then drained and rinsed
3 tbsp gram (chickpea) flour, or use plain flour but the falafel won't be quite as crispy!
1 tsp baking powder (optional)
Oil for frying (sunflower or vegetable oil is best)
Hummus, chilli sauce, salad and pitta breads to serve

Method:

Using a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, coriander, parsley, drained chickpeas, gram flour, baking powder (if using), FALAFEL BLEND and 1 ¼ tsp salt to a coarse paste that you’re able to shape into a cohesive ball (adding a small splash of water if the mixture is too dry or a small amount of gram flour if too wet)
Form heaped tablespoons of the mixture into 20 balls then leave in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up
Carefully heat 4cm oil in a wide, deep frying pan over a medium heat - to test when the oil is ready, drop a piece of the falafel mixture into the oil and it will sizzle then immediately float to the surface
Carefully fry the falafel for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy all over (you may have to do this in batches) then drain on kitchen paper
Warm the pitta breads
Serve the falafel inside the warmed pitta breads with the hummus, chilli sauce and salad