Homemade Falafel

Soak dried chickpeas (1 cup) in a bowl of [water] overnight or for a minimum of 8 hours. Make sure the bowl has enough room as [dried chickpeas] will expand double in size. Start 480m timer

Drain and pulse the soaked [chickpeas] in a food processor a few times until they are chopped.

Roughly chop all [fresh herbs] and add into the food processor along with baking powder (0.5 tsp), cumin (1 tsp), clove (1 garlic), chickpea flour (2 tbsp) and water (2 tbsp). Season with [salt and pepper].

Blitz together until all ingredients are combined and finely diced. Don't over blitz, as you want to keep some texture.

Using wet hands and a tablespoon, roll mixture into balls and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Then refrigerate for hour (1). Start 60m timer

Place [falafel balls] on a tray lined with parchment paper. Put in the fridge to set for 30-60 minutes.

To make the tahini sauce, add tbsp tahini (1 heaping), juice (0.5 lemon), [1-2 tbsp cold water] and [a pinch of salt] in a bowl and whisk together until a creamy consistency is achieved. If it's too thick, add more [water] to thin it out.

Deep fry [falafel balls] in heated [oil] for a few minutes until golden on each side. Fry in batches and don't overcrowd the pot so [falafel balls] aren't touching. Start 5m timer

Remove and place on paper towels to remove excess [oil].

Preheat air fryer to 350°F/180°C. Place [falafel balls] gently inside ensuring they're not touching and spray the tops with [oil spray]. Cook for 11-13 minutes, they should be golden. Turn them around and spray the tops again and cook for another minutes (2). Start 15m timer

Serve with [tahini sauce] and a side of pickles. For a main, serve with [rice] and [salad] or works well in a wrap.