Homemade Falafel Bowl

Drain the soaked chickpeas thoroughly and spread them on a clean kitchen towel to absorb surface moisture. This step is critical because excess water will cause the falafel mixture to be too wet and the falafel will fall apart during frying.

Place the chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse twenty to twenty-five times until the mixture is finely ground and resembles coarse wet sand. Do not over-process into a paste or the texture will be wrong.

Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cumin, coriander, cayenne, salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder. Stir thoroughly until all the spices are evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least one hour to firm up and develop flavour.

Using wet hands or a falafel scoop, form the chilled mixture into balls about four centimetres in diameter, pressing firmly so they hold together. Place the formed falafel on a parchment-lined tray. You should get about twenty falafel from this batch.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 175C. Carefully lower the falafel in batches of four or five into the hot oil and fry for four to five minutes, turning occasionally, until they are deeply browned and crispy on all sides with a vivid green interior.

Remove the fried falafel with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack. They should have a shatteringly crispy dark brown crust and a moist, bright green, herb-flecked interior when broken open.

Assemble the bowls with a base of cooked rice or quinoa, four to five hot falafel per serving, and arrange fresh greens, pickled vegetables, diced cucumber, and tomato around the edges. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce and serve with warm pita bread.