Improved Falafel

my previous experience with making falafel turned into greasy burnt soup so i added some binders and better technique and flavour. the result is much creamier on the inside than most! i'll be trying to make these in the oven next time because i still hate deep fryers. i'll let you know how that goes.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 25-30 falafel balls

Ingredients

• 19  ounces chickpeas
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons Italian parsley (finely chopped)
• 1  teaspoon cumin
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dill
• 2  garlic cloves (minced)
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 1⁄3-1⁄2 cup  breadcrumbs (enough to get consistency right)
• 1  egg
• 1⁄2 small red onion (finely chopped)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
•  vegetable oil (for frying)

Directions

1. drain and rinse your chickpeas. pour into a food processor with the lemon juice, onion, and egg. blend until it's a goo with a bit of textured bits.
2. stir in your herbs and spices, baking soda, and flour until well blended. add breadcrumbs until it's the consistency of slightly wet raw meatball mix. chill for 15 min to let it firm up a bit.
3. start your oil heating at medium. don't let it smoke or you'll have to take it off the heat and wait for it to cool. in the mean time form your mix into 1" balls. test with one to see if the oil is a good temp.it should turn golden brown in 3-5 min so it has time to cook all the way through.
4. gently drop your balls into the hot oil in batches of 4-8 at a time so you cat watch them carefully. they will continue cooking a bit after they come out of the oil so scoop them out when they're golden, not dark brown.
5. drain well and serve with tzatziki as a snack or in pita with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives, feta, and tzatziki or some other dressing.
6. if you want to reheat leftovers do so in the oven so they don't go soggy.