Recipe for Falafels from Sprouted Garbanzo Beans

Susan Helene Kramer

It’s been my quest since first eating at a falafel stand in Isla Vista, California, to learn to make a crunchy and mildly spicy falafel ball. After lots of experimentation this is my version using dry garbanzo beans that I sprout myself before making into falafels.

Ingredients:

One half cup dry garbanzo beans that I then sprout (a 3 day process)
2 tablespoons dry pancake flour or biscuit flour
2 sprigs parsley, chopped fine
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon curry powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

(The photo shows falafel balls on an 11 inch diameter dinner plate.)

To prepare sprouted garbanzo beans:

I begin by soaking the dry garbanzo beans overnight in cool water, then draining and rinsing them every 12 hours until they sprout, which takes about 3 days. At this point they taste like raw peas from the garden and the sprouts are the length of the bean diameter.

To keep the beans moist after rinsing, I drain them into a colander that is sitting over a shallow soup bowl and cover with a tea towel. The only time the beans were soaked in water was the first 12 hours.

When beans sprout, I store them in the refrigerator up to a day till mixing and frying. Even though the beans are not soaking in water they will sprout just from staying moist.

To prepare falafel balls:

Put sprouted garbanzo beans and 2 cups cool water in blender jar and pulse 10 times. Drain water and chopped beans in sieve and press out moisture.

Then place drained chopped sprouted beans in medium mixing bowl and add the list of ingredients (not the oil). Adjust seasonings according to your taste.

Heat the oil in deep fryer to the highest setting, such as for French fries.

Using your clean hands form and firm garbanzo mixture into 1.5 inch diameter balls and set on plate till ready to cook. The mixture should feel sticky. Add more pancake flour if needed till it feels tacky - this is the way the mixture holds its ball shape.

Fry a few at a time for about 5 minutes till brown. Do not disturb them while they are frying. Lift each ball out of the oil with a spoon or thongs and drain on paper towels.

Hummus dressing:

I buy prepared hummus in the grocery store cold food case. At home keep it refrigerated. I scoop out the amount that I think I’ll use for the meal into a small bowl. Then I stir in a little cool water until it is thin enough to slowly flow off a spoon - making the hummus a salad dressing.

To serve:

For each serving choose a large salad bowl and lay in a base with lettuce and salad vegetables, and lastly place on several falafel balls. Spoon on some hummus dressing. Or place in a bun, pita pocket, or wrap. Add salad vegetables and hummus dressing - I like to include coleslaw.

One half cup dry garbanzo beans yields about 8 delicious and crunchy falafel balls or 2 medium servings.

Article and photo of falafel balls by Susan Helene Kramer

Copyright 2012-2013 Susan Helene Kramer
Santa Barbara, California USA
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Published by Creations in Consciousness
email susan@susankramer.com
web site http://www.susankramer.com

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page created May 4, 2013