Easy Falafel Recipe with Green Goddess Dressing Recipe

An easy falafel recipe can be hard to pin down, but this handy one has an all-in-one food processor method that’s perfect for prepping for parties. For a healthier twist on this dish, the falafels can be baked in a 200C oven with a drizzle of olive oil for around 30 mins, or until golden brown and crisp, turning them halfway through. The mayonnaise in the dressing can also be replaced with Greek yoghurt or more crème fraîche if you’d like to trim down the calories a little, but parties are the perfect time to indulge we think.

Ingredients

For the falafels

• 250g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in 500ml of cold water
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 2tbsp coriander, finely chopped
• 1tbsp parsley, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
• ¼tsp cayenne pepper
• 2tsp garam masala
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1½tbsp plain flour
• Sesame seeds, to coat
• Sunflower oil, to fry

For the dressing

• 200ml mayonnaise
• 1tsp capers, well rinsed and finely chopped
• 4 good quality anchovies, from a tin or a jar, finely chopped, or 2tsp anchovy paste
• Small bunch chives, roughly chopped
• Small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• Few sprigs tarragon, leaves only, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 50ml crème fraîche or sour cream
• Tabasco
• Lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 120C/Gas 1. Drain the chickpeas and mix well with the onion, garlic, coriander and parsley. Place a third of this mixture in a food processor and pulse until it is finely chopped and starts to hold itself together, then transfer to a bowl. Do not overblend as it will become gluey and heavy. Repeat for the remaining two thirds of the chickpea mixture.
2. Add the spices, baking powder, flour and season well. Use your hands to mix, then cover and chill for at least 1 hr, or until ready to shape.
3. To make the dressing, blitz all the ingredients in a food processor until mostly broken up with a bright green colour. Taste and season if necessary. Set aside.
4. With slightly wet hands, shape a heaped tbsp of the falafel mixture into a thick cylinder or small patty, then roll in sesame seeds and place on a tray lined with baking parchment until ready to cook. Repeat with the remainder of the mixture - you should have 15 falafels.
5. Fill a deep, wide pan with 2½cm of sunflower oil and heat over a medium heat until a small piece of bread browns in 30-40 seconds, then fry the falafels in batches until crisp and golden brown – for about 10 mins. They will need to be turned in the oil to ensure they fry evenly. Drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper, then arrange on a platter with the green goddess dressing on the side. Garnish with parsley leaves and serve.   Recipe by Gaia Chanrai for Woman and Home.