Falafel are one of my absolute favorite foods. These deep fried balls of ground chick peas, spices, and love served in a pita with hummus, tahini, chopped veggies, and hot sauce is about a perfect a meal as I will ever find. However, for those with gastric intolerance to chick peas and other legumes or for those who can't eat spicy foods, falafel are often a non-starter. For these people, and for the people who love them, I have created this recipe.
This recipe is also gluten-free and goes well with the gluten-free pita.
Ingredients
- ½ cup dried millet
- 2 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup onion (optional)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- 1 egg or egg substitute
- ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoons ground coriander
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Pinch ground cardamom
- Oil for frying
Simmer dried millet in 2 cups of water for 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. The millet should be sticky and porridge-like. Let cool. Finely chop garlic, onion, cilantro, and parsley, and stir into millet. Mix in egg, flour, salt, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom.
Refrigerate mixture for 15-30 minutes.
Use a healthy oil with a high smoke point for frying, such as canola, olive, or grapeseed. Heat oil in a pot or skillet to a depth of 1½ inches to 360-375°F. Form 1- to 2-inch falafel balls using wet hands or a falafel scoop. Drop balls into oil and cook until golden brown 5-6 minutes, flipping balls over halfway during the time if needed. Remove from oil with a spider skimmer and let drain on a paper towel.
Makes 25-30 falafel balls.