Falafel and Tahini (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (make sure they're drained).
02 - 6 cloves of garlic.
03 - 2 cups roughly chopped onion (use white onion).
04 - A cup of parsley leaves, loosely packed.
05 - A cup of cilantro, also loosely packed.
06 - A teaspoon of salt.
07 - 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder.
08 - 2 teaspoons cumin powder.
09 - 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
10 - Half a cup of plain flour.
11 - Oil for frying (canola works great).
12 - Pita bread for serving.
13 - A cup and a quarter of plain yogurt (either full-fat or low-fat).
14 - 1/4 cup of tahini (sesame paste).
15 - 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
16 - Salt and pepper for seasoning to your liking.

# Instructions:

01 - In a food processor, combine onion, garlic, chickpeas, parsley, cilantro, salt, chili powder, cumin, and baking powder. Blitz it until it's mixed but not overly smooth—it should have a bit of texture. Sprinkle in the flour and pulse just to incorporate. Move the mix to a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for an hour.
02 - While your falafel mixture chills, stir together the yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add salt and pepper until it tastes just right for you. Cover the sauce and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
03 - After the falafel mix has chilled, scoop out portions (about 3 tablespoons each) to form balls. Flatten them into small patties. If it feels too wet, mix in a tiny bit more flour. Heat canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Let the oil warm up for about 3 minutes. Place the patties into the pan one at a time. Let them brown on one side for 3 minutes, flip them, and cook the other side until they're all the way done. Once golden, move the patties to a cooling rack lined with paper towels and sprinkle them with a little salt while they're still hot. Repeat until you've cooked them all.
04 - Warm up some pita and cut it into halves. Add a few falafel patties (3 or 4 per half) inside, then drizzle on plenty of tahini sauce.
05 - If you'd rather bake instead of sautéing, check the instructions for Crispy Homemade Baked Falafel. Not a fan of tahini? A dollop of Greek yogurt makes a refreshing replacement to pair with the hot falafel.

# Notes:

01 - This guide covers both homemade falafel and tahini sauce. Don't have a food processor? You can mash everything by hand with a fork and finely chop the rest. Use chickpea flour instead of regular flour to make it gluten-free.