These Black Chickpea Falafels were a result of me trying to use up some of my kitchen cupboard staples. But there’s a twist; these falafels also have tofu. Yes, you read that right. It’s unusual I agree, but they did turn out pretty delicious. And the happy experiment gave me a spice-scented, scrumptious, protein-rich, vegetarian option that I can make on a regular basis.
What makes black chickpeas different from regular chickpeas?
Black chickpeas are actually dark brown and are commonly known as Bengal gram, kala chana or desi chana here in India, which is where they’re probably consumed the most. When not eaten whole in the form of a chana, they’re hulled and split, sold and cooked as chana dal. Black chickpeas have a thicker skin and need to be soaked and cooked for longer. They have a pleasant, earthy taste and have more fibre, iron, protein than their paler cousins.
To make Black Chickpea Falafels, the chickpeas must be soaked overnight and pressure-cooked before being ground up. They’re not naturally creamy, so cooking softens them to the desired consistency. It is worth the extra effort because these falafels not only have more of a bite in terms of texture, they have a deeper, bolder, more satisfying ‘beaniness’ to them.
How to make Black Chickpea Falafels
Cook the chickpeas with water and a ¼ teaspoon soda bicarbonate, ideally in a pressure cooker. This helps them cook faster. Make sure to completely drain them once they are cooked.
I used firm tofu in this recipe. I haven’t tried making them with soft or silken tofu but I guess they might yield a looser dough that may be harder to bind. The tofu must be pressed under something heavy to drain it of all the liquid, which if left undrained can make the falafel mixture too wet to shape. So before processing the tofu, wrap it in a kitchen towel and place it under a weight.
The tofu and chickpeas are run through the food processor with garlic, onion, fresh coriander and a few spices to break them up and blend them into a coarse dough. A few tablespoons of chickpea flour or besan are added to help them bind better and hold their shape while frying.
The Lebanese 7-spice powder or sabe’ baharat is a must in a falafel. Spices such as black pepper, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and dried ginger add aroma, depth and warmth. This gentle heat echoes in the back of the throat, rather than setting the mouth on fire.
Unlike regular falafels, which are deep fried, I shallow fried these Black Chickpea Falafels in olive oil. They browned-up nicely; crisp outside and soft inside. They can be large like tikkis or fish cakes/patties if you’re serving them as a main or cocktail-sized smaller ones you can serve as party snacks. They pair best with a creamy, cool, tahini sauce.
These Black Chickpea Falafels are quite versatile and you can season and flavour them with your favourite herbs and spices. If you’re looking for healthier, budget-friendly meal options, then this recipe is for you.
Black Chickpea Falafels
Ingredients
- 100 g dried black chickpeas (kala chana) washed and soaked overnight in a large pot of water
- 200 g firm tofu, drained of all liquid and cut into chunks
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic
- A large handful of fresh coriander (both stems and leaves), washed and dried
- ½ + ½ tsp soda bicarbonate (baking soda)
- 3 tbsp chickpea flour (besan)
- 1 tsp cumin (jeera)powder
- ½ tsp chilli powder (cayenne)
- ¼ tsp black pepper powder
- 1 tsp sabe' baharat (Lebanese 7-spice mixture)
- Salt
- Oil for shallow frying
For sabe' baharat or Lebanese 7-spice mixture
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tsp ground dried ginger (saunth)
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp grated nutmeg
Instructions
- To make the Lebanese 7-spice mixture or sabe' baharat, thoroughly mix all the ground spices together and store in an airtight jar.
- Rinse the soaked chickpeas and cook in a pressure cooker with water upto 2 inches above the level of the chickpeas. Lower the flame to slow after the first whistle and cook for 15-20 minutes. Cool the cooker and drain the chickpeas in a strainer.
- In a food processor, blend the chickpeas, tofu, onion, garlic, coriander, all the spices, chickpea flour, ½ tsp baking soda and salt until you have a coarsely ground mixture.
- Shape the mixture into patties, 6 cm in diameter and 1½ cm in thickness or into smaller falafels 3.5 cm in diameter.
- Heat oil in a heavy frying pan on a medium flame. Drop a small pinch of the falafel mixture into the oil, if it sizzles, the oil is ready. Fry a few falafels at a time, taking care not to crowd the pan. Cook on each side for 3-4 min till brown and crisp. Drain on a wire rack and serve with tahini sauce.