Don’t you just love it when you’re put on the spot and improvise, only to realise you have discovered an excellent recipe? I do too!

Afelia’s Falafels were the result of being put on the spot one day when my brother in law turned up at my house (over a year ago) and I discovered to my shock horror that I had no snacks prepared in my freezer! Not one to panic, I quickly improvised using canned chick peas, onions I had peeled in my fridge and some spices. My mini chopper (like a food processor, only smaller) aided me in this recipe and turned all of my ingredients into a paste like mixture which I was able to fry easily. It wasn’t until after I had made them that I realised what I had made was basically an ‘Indian style’ falafel. I served them with some sauce and they were gone in minutes, my husband and brother in law thoroughly enjoyed them and they have become a firm favourite in my household ever since.

The one thing that everyone loves about this recipe (and many of my other recipes) is the fact that the recipe has a few basic ingredients and is so simple to execute, but doesn’t compromise on taste, AT ALL. Try this recipe and I’m sure you’ll be convinced it’s one to write up in your best handwriting in that book of all your favourite recipes, lol!

I have only ever used the spices listed in the recipe to make Afelia’s Falafels, but I’m sure if you wanted to you could try adding other spices/ingredients. Why not try adding peppers, jalapenos or scotch bonnets if you like things spicy? You could even try throwing in fennel seeds, carom seeds (ajwain) or panch phoron (Indian five spice), there’s always room to play around with the ingredients. You don’t have to eat these as a snack, a healthy vegetarian meal can be made of this too; add the cooked falafels to pitta bread or tortilla wraps with salad and sauce and you’ve got yourself a light, filling meal. I really hope you all get an opportunity to cook Afelia’s Falafels for yourself, your family and friends…..when a recipe is this simple, what’s stopping you?

Makes 24 Falafels (approx)

You will need: for Afelia’s Falafels

2 cans of chickpeas
1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
1 tsp coriander (dhaniya) seeds
3 dried red chillies
2 small onions
handful of fresh coriander
1/3 cup plain flour
1 tsp salt
oil for frying

Method:

The image on the bottom left shows a close up of what spices you’ll need for this recipe; 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 3 dried red chillies and 1 tsp salt.

Start by draining two cans of chick peas in a colander, leave to one side till needed.

In a spice mill grind 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds and 3 dried red chillies till finely blitzed. Alternatively use a pestle and mortar if you don’t own a spice mill.

Peel 2 small onions and cut into quarters. Wash and roughly chop a generous handful of coriander.

Place the 2 chopped onions and coriander into a food processor or mini chopper and finely blitz, reserve in a bowl to one side.

Next blitz the drained chickpeas….

….till they look like the image on the top left.

Place the chickpeas in the bowl with the onions, add the ground spices and add 1/3 of a cup of plain flour. DON’T forget to add 1 tsp of salt!

Mix everything together using your hands till well combined.

Heat up oil in a large wok/frying pan. Make sure the oil is hot before adding the mixture, if the oil isn’t hot enough the falafels will absorb too much oil and won’t hold together.

Shape the falafels into flat round balls….

….or round spheres and fry over a medium – high flame for several minutes till golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel after frying.

Serve with your favourite condiment and enjoy as a snack. Alternatively to make a meal of it, serve with salad and sauce in a pitta bread or tortilla wrap (I’d throw in some cheese too), the choice is yours!

Bon Appetit!

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