This dish is perfect alongside Zwei Zimmer Kuch Barth No 6, from Christopher Barth. It is fresh, light and bright. Nettle, grapefruit zest and wet earth after rain, with texture and a touch of body from skin contact. Open a bottle while you’re cooking… and maybe have another in the fridge at the ready!
Falafel
Chickpea Fritters
Pack them into a Pita, dip them into Tahini Sauce, or snack on them alongside some crunchy veg – falafel rarely disappoint.
They are believed to have originated in Egypt, where Coptic Christians, who abstained from meat during Lent, turned fava beans into ta'amiyah for a hearty snack. Since then they have spread throughout the Levant, where regional differences mean that chickpeas, herbs, and spices became unmissable expressions of this staple food. To make crispy, light falafel, you don't need to use flour or bicarbonate of soda because soaked but uncooked legumes already contain enough starches. The trick is to grind them finely enough to hold their shape yet retain some coarseness for a light mouthfeel. It requires a little practice, but I still remember the triumphant feeling when the first golden-brown falafel emerged from the hot oil – the sweet fruit of learning a new skill.
ACTIVE TIME 45 minutes
TOTAL TIME 1 hour, plus soaking overnight
MAKES 18–20
INGREDIENTS
200g (7oz) dried chickpeas
1 small onion, about 80g (2 3⁄4oz)
5 large garlic cloves
1 long green chilli
50g (1 3⁄4oz) coriander
50g (1 3⁄4oz) parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 litre (4 1⁄3 cups) vegetable oil
Tahini Sauce, to serve, found in the Book.
METHOD
- Soak the chickpeas in at least 1 litre (4 1⁄3 cups) water overnight. The next day, rinse them and drain well, then blend them in a small food processor to a fine mixture, scraping down the sides occasionally (I usually do this in two batches). The mixture should feel sticky and hold its shape when you squeeze it. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic, trim and chop the chilli, twist off the leafy bits of the coriander and parsley (make sure the herbs are well dried so they don’t water down the mixture) and add all of this to the food processor along with the salt. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Transfer the chopped aromatics to the bowl with the chickpea mixture, add the spices and use your hands to mix it well. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat the vegetable oil to 170°C (340°F) in a large heavy-based saucepan (if you don’t have a thermometer, place the tip of a wooden spoon into the hot oil; tiny rapid bubbles should form around the wood when it’s hot enough).
- Meanwhile, cover a cooling rack with kitchen paper. Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into 18–20 falafel balls (around 30g (1oz) each).
- Fry 4–5 balls at a time until they are crispy and golden-brown (3–4 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon, transfer them onto the kitchen paper to drain the excess oil, then continue with the rest. Serve the warm falafel simply dipped into the Tahini Sauce.
Chickpeas and broad beans are the most commonly used, but you can make falafel with most legumes following the same method.
Julius' book is available to order here
