Falafel with Tahini Sauce and Pita Bread

• 300g dried chickpeas (soaked for 24 hours)
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• oil for frying
• For tahini: 100g sesame paste, juice of 1 lemon, 1 garlic clove, water, salt

👨‍🍳 Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Pulse the soaked raw chickpeas (not cooked) with the remaining ingredients in a food processor until a coarse paste forms. Do not over-process into a puree.

2. 2

   Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. 3

   Shape into balls or patties. Fry in oil at 180°C until golden on all sides (3-4 minutes).

4. 4

   For the tahini: mix sesame paste with lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt, and water until a smooth, fluid sauce forms.

5. 5

   Serve in pita bread with salad, tahini sauce, pickles, and harissa.

💡 Chef's tip

The chickpeas MUST be raw and soaked, not cooked. Using cooked chickpeas will cause the falafel to fall apart when fried.

📝 Our take

Homemade falafel with raw soaked chickpeas is a completely different dish to what most takeaways serve. The crispy crust, the green and fluffy interior, and a well-balanced tahini sauce form a combination that wins over even dedicated meat-eaters.

🍷 Wine & food pairing

Hot mint tea or fresh mint lemonade. With alcohol: wheat beer or a full-bodied Lebanese white wine.

Suggested wine: Lebanese lemonade or craft beer