Springtime is falafel time

Whether it’s Easter, Passover, Ramadan, spring equinox or something else you celebrate this time of year, there is rebirth in the air at the end of March and beginning of April. In my kitchen, I start to think about shifting away from the heavier comfort foods of winter and consider the possibilities that spring brings to the table. 

I started a personal tradition more than 10 years ago of making Middle Eastern food around Easter time. Not only is the Middle East the birthplace of several major religions, but it offers an ancient array of delicious dishes and ingredients that I’ve grown to love. And a Middle Eastern menu actually gives me an opportunity to showcase a top Montana-grown ingredient: chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. 

The preferred dish at the Bennion house on Easter day is falafel sandwiches. Falafel are chickpea fritters packed with fresh herbs and spices. They have great flavor and texture, and always leave guests satisfied. 

Leave that can of chickpeas in your pantry for this one because you absolutely have to start with dried chickpeas from a bag. Seek some out from a Montana grower just to add a little local flair to your dish. Dried chickpeas need a good overnight soak in plenty of water before they’re ready to use. 

I’ve added a few twists of my own to the traditional version you’ll find all over the Middle East and North Africa. You won’t typically see carrot in falafel, but I like the little flecks of orange speckled into the herby green. Lemon zest and red chili flake are also not typical, but they bring great flavor and complexity. 

This recipe gives you two options to grind the ingredients down to the right size: a food processor or a meat grinder attachment for a stand mixer. I almost prefer the meat grinder method, since it’s foolproof for achieving the appropriate consistency, but you’re probably more likely to have a food processor handy. 

Keep a few things in mind for frying the falafel. Investing in a good thermometer to make sure your oil is right around 350 degrees Fahrenheit will protect the falafel from extreme heat that will leave them overdone on the outside and mushy in the middle. 

Also, make sure your falafel balls aren’t too large (they should be a little less than golf ball size) so the interior has time to get fluffy. And since we all have different tastebuds, don’t hesitate to make a single falafel as a test — fry it up and see if any additional seasoning is needed. 

People sometimes also make small falafel patties or disks and pan-fry them in shallow oil. I prefer the traditional deep-fry method, but feel free to pan-fry. Just know the delicate patties might be a challenge to flip without breaking. 

FALAFEL RECIPE
Makes about 20 falafel, serves 4-5 

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp red pepper flake
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp chickpea flour or all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon zest
plenty of vegetable oil for frying

Soak your dried chickpeas overnight in four cups of water. Drain the chickpeas and coarsely chop the onion, garlic and carrot.

There are two ways to prep the falafel mixture. 

Food processor method: Coarsely chop the onion, garlic and carrot and put them in a food processor with the soaked and drained chickpeas and pulse them a few times to begin breaking them down. Add your herbs and scrape the sides of the food processor. Pulse the contents until you get a couscous-type consistency, scraping the sides as needed to get the right texture. 

Meat grinder method: Using one of the smaller-hole grinder plates, attach your grinder accessory to your stand mixer. Mix your chickpeas, onion, garlic, carrot and herbs in a bowl. Fill the grinder port with a portion of the ingredients and run your grinder. Put all of the bowl contents through the grinder once. 

Whichever mixing method you use, next add the flour, lemon zest, chili flake, cumin, coriander and salt, and mix well. Cover the falafel mix with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for two hours. Then pull it out, add the baking powder, and mix well. 

Form falafel balls using a tablespoon to get a little less than two tablespoons of the mixture. The balls should be smaller than golf balls. Heat vegetable oil in a medium-size pot with the oil about 2 inches high. You want the oil at 350 degrees Fahrenheit when you put the falafel balls in. Fry 4-6 falafel balls at a time for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the outside is crispy and the inside is fluffy. When they come out, dust them with salt and either eat them immediately or keep them warm in a 275 degree oven. With each round of falafel balls you fry, make sure your oil temperature is back to 350. 

Serve in a pita sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, marinated cucumbers and your favorite sauce (ranch is a nice Montana touch, and you can use my recipe here). Falafel are also fun and delicious to serve with a hummus platter. 

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