Falafel | Nigerian Falafel Recipe | How to Make Falafel

Falafel is common vegetarian food and is one of the most recognized and commonly consumed popular street foods of the Middle East. This classic Mediterranean dish has been in existence long before Pizza, Hamburgers and French fries.

Today, i will be preparing Nigerian falafel version of this popular Israel’s national food.

What is falafel?

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or a patty that is prepared using ground chickpeas or fava beans and spices. Falafel stands are as numerous in countries like Israel, Egypt and Syria. Food vendors sell it on the street corners. 

Read Also: Nigerian Chicken Tortilla Soup: Crockpot, Slow cooker or Stovetop!

Traditionally, falafel balls were made out of chickpeas, fava beans or some combination of both. Nowadays, the balls are generally made out of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans).

The best falafel near me in Lagos is at EStudio Vegetariano, lovely Labanese Restaurant, lalitana Restaurant, La Esterella, etc. There you can find other variations like vegan falafel.

These classic balls are a delicious alternative to meat. The base ingredient is chickpeas, making them a satisfying option suitable for vegans. The balls are very similar to Nigerian Akara balls (Accara/Acaraje).

In addition, Nigerian falafel recipe is as easy as making meatballs. The key is to follow one rule: never, ever use canned chickpeas. You have to use dried chickpeas that have been soaked but not cooked to make falafel balls.

Nigerian Falafel Easy Recipe

Do you wonder how to make falafel from scratch? It is so simple. Just follow this best falafel recipe. In this homemade falafel recipe chickpeas which are high in protein and fibre take the center stage.

Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians. The falafel spices are important and should be personalized to taste.

However, the best part is opening the chickpea balls to expose the amazing green insides. Then, immerse them in tahini sauce/yogurt and put straight in your mouth, or make wraps!

Falafel Ingredients

• 1 cup dried chickpeas
• 1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• Basil (optional)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper(Cameroon pepper)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4-6 tablespoons all-purpose flour/chickpea flour
• Vegetable oil for frying

Recipe for Falafel Wrap or Pita Sandwich Recipe

• Tortilla
• Fresh tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Cucumber
• Plain yogurt-Substitute for hummus or tahinni (sauce)
• Chili flakes
• Lime to garnish

 Preparation/How to Make Falafel 

1. First, put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Allow to soak overnight.
2. Secondly, drain rinse with fresh water and pat dry.
3. Thirdly,  add the whole ingredients to the food processor. Pulse all the ingredients together pending when a rough, coarse meal forms.
4. After that, the desired consistency is reached, pour the mixture into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will even out any rough texture. Get rid of any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed.
5. Then, sprinkle the chickpea flour so that the dough easily forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands.

 Recipe note: Have it in mind that the balls will be delicate initially; if you can manage to get them into the hot oil, they will bind together and stick.

6. In case this method didn’t work, try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour to the mixture.
7. If they still won’t hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should finally fix any issues you are having.
8. Fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 ½ inch. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. The ideal temperature to fry is between 360 and 375 ºf.
9. Shape with hands into balls. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels
10. Finally, serve the fresh balls hot; they go best with falafel wraps. You can also stuff them into a pita,

Method for Making The Falafel Wrap

1. Firstly, decant the yogurt into a bowl; add lemon juice, chili flakes and mix together till well combined.
2. Then, slice the vegetables into desired sizes; put the tortilla into a microwave for about 40 seconds.
3. After that, remove from the microwave and arrange the balls and salad as desired.
4. Finally, use the yogurt as a dip. Enjoy

Do you like my easy  recipe? Why not give it a try!  Kindly click the share buttons and don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below!  I take pleasure in reading from you. Please follow me on my social media, so you never miss a post!

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