Tobias's Falafel

What you need

• Dried chickpeas, a generous amount
• Fresh cilantro, a lot
• Fresh parsley, a lot
• Garlic, don’t be shy
• Coriander seeds
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Oil
• Baking powder, at least two packets
• Flour, just in case
• Oil for frying (you can bake them, but fried is better and you know it)

What you do

Soak the chickpeas overnight. Dried, not canned. This matters.

The next day comes the hard part. Rub the chickpeas between your hands to remove the skins. Every single one. Yes, all of them. This is the part where you earn it.

Once they’re naked, drain them well. You want as little water as possible.

Now the blender. And here’s the trick: order matters.

First, blend the garlic with oil, salt, pepper, and coriander seeds. Let that become a paste.

Then add the chickpeas. Blend.

Last, the fresh cilantro and parsley. They go in at the end so they don’t oxidize. Don’t blend too long, just enough.

The mixture should be very green. If it’s not green enough, you didn’t put enough herbs. Put more.

If the mixture feels too loose, add a little flour until it holds together. Trust yourself with the amounts. There are no numbers here. Taste it. Adjust. That’s the whole point.

If you’ve made too much, freeze the extra. But don’t add the baking powder to what you’re freezing.

When you’re ready to fry, mix in the baking powder. Be generous. Two packets, minimum.

Shape into balls with your hands. Fry in hot oil until deep golden and crispy.

That’s it. The idea is to learn and improvise. But I’ll tell you this: it’s the best falafel of my life.