This post was first written in June 2013 and updated in June 2021.

These falafel are pan fried and served with a super simple salad of carrot and peanuts. Add differing spices to ring the changes

What do I need to make pan fried falafel

To make enough for 2, you will need:-

• Falafel
• ▢ 100 g onion chopped
• ▢ 200 g dried chick peas or use a drained can
• ▢ 20 g flour for dusting
• ▢ 20 ml oil for frying
• Carrot Salad
• ▢ 160 g carrots
• ▢ 75 g salted peanuts

How to make pan fried falafel

• Soak the dried chick peas over night and cook them the next day for about 45 minutes until very soft. This can be done in a slow cooker for fuel efficiency, you could even put them in from dried and slow cook them overnight. Or if needs must, you could use a tin.
• Fry the onion in a little oil until soft.  Mash up the chickpeas until they are soft and paste like, or leave with bits if you like them that way. The easiest way, if you have one, is to use a food processor to blitz everything together. Add the onions, don’t forget the flavoursome oil,  season and mix well again.

• Form the mixture into little patties and dust them with the flour. Fry in a little hot oil until brown and crispy.

• Meanwhile, coarsely grate the carrot, no need to peel them, just scrub them and stir in the salted peanuts.

• Serve the hot or cold falafels with the carrot salad. Great to take as a packed lunch too.

Flavour variations for falafel

Although very simple, these pan fried falafel are very tasty, so don’t worry if you don’t have anything else to add to them. If you DO want to experiment, here are some suggestions.

• If you have been able to get any spices, or have some in your store cupboard, now is a great time to use them. When you are squishing the chickpea mixture together add some ground coriander, or cumin, or indeed any other spice you fancy, how about a bit of tandoori spice or harissa? Last time I made them, I added a teaspoon of Baharat
• A squirt of lemon juice mixed in would be lovely.
• The value ranges often have salted cashews, they would work very well in this salad. Or try adding a small handful raisins, instead of or as well as the salted peanuts/cashews.
• Any salad you may have is good with this. If you can grow some cut and come again salad leaves, they would be more or less free. I have tried Sorrel for the first time this year. It has a lovely zingy citrusy taste, great in salads
• You could use half the cooked chickpeas to make the falafel, and use the other half to make hummus.  Serving both together.
• A bit of chutney of any type would add interest
• Falafel are delicious hot or cold in a sandwich or pitta, with any combination that you have available of salad, hummus or chutney

 

This is from Meal Plan 1, a complete 7 day plan for 2 adults. Contains 3 meals a day, plus snacks, all recipes and a shopping list

Love falafel?

Here’s some other recipes you might like

Falafel & Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

 

Raw chickpea carrot falafel, 15p. Delicious, with sweet variations too