Ingredients
- 225g dried chickpeas
- 4-5 spring onions, sliced
- 2.5 ounces picked fresh cilantro, parsley, or mint leaves, or preferably a mixture of all three (60g)
- 2 teaspoon of minced cloves of garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more for seasoning
- (500 to 700ml) vegetable oil, for frying
- Hummus & tahini sauce for serving
Direction:
- Start by rinsing the chickpeas and transferring them to a generous-sized bowl. Make sure to use enough cold water to allow the chickpeas to expand significantly. Then, cover the bowl and let it sit at room temperature for the night. When you wake up, drain the excess water and give the chickpeas another thorough rinse. Use a salad spinner to gently dry them before using them in your dish.
2. In the work bowl of a food processor, blend together chickpeas, herbs, spring onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt. Pulse the ingredients until the chickpeas are finely minced. Upon testing the mixture by gently squeezing it into a ball, it should just barely hold its shape. If not, continue processing for a little longer.
3. After transferring the mixture into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow more starch to seep out of the chickpeas. This will greatly improve the balls’ ability to hold their shape when formed. Using a tablespoon, scoop generous portions of the mixture into your palm. Carefully mold them into balls (note that the mixture cannot be rolled like cookie dough, but that’s no problem) and transfer them onto a fresh plate.
4. Once all the balls have been expertly crafted, it’s time to move on to the next step. Heat a deep deep frying pan and fill 3/5 of it with oil. Crank up the heat to high and wait until the oil reaches a sizzling temperature. With utmost caution, carefully lower each chickpea ball into the oil, ensuring there is enough space between them. If needed, cook the balls in batches. Keep an eye on the heat and make adjustments to maintain a temperature ranging between 350°F and 375°F. Let the balls cook undisturbed until golden brown on the bottom, before expertly flipping them over with a fork to brown the other side, for a total of about 4 minutes. Once cooked to perfection, carefully move the freshly fried chickpea balls onto a plate lined with paper towels, and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Continue this process until all of the chickpea balls have been seasoned.
5. “For the best experience, enjoy with a side of refreshing tahini and/or creamy hummus or stuff into warm pita bread with delectable tahini, refreshing tomatoes, crisp cucumber, tangy pickles, and crunchy cabbage.”
