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After many many tries, I finally found the secret to making perfect falafels. The trick is to use dry chickpeas and soak them overnight - Do not cook them! By only soaking them, they are too crunchy to eat by themselves, but when blended with the other ingredients and then fried, you end up with the perfect texture.

Falafels are an excellent vegan dish. Very high in protein and fiber, if cooked in hot oil, they don't contain a lot of fat.

Here's how I make them.

Ingredients:

1 cup chickpeas
2.5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Soak chickpeas in salted water overnight. I put them in the refrigerator right away in case I don'T feel like making them the next day...

1 clove garlic
1/8 cup parsley or half cilantro, half parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
half of a small onion
1 tablespoon flour

Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. The texture will be somewhat crumbly, but if you shape the falafels into balls, they should hold their shape well.

Heat 1 cup of oil in a frying pan. Shape the falafel mixture into 12 to 15 balls. I use a 1/8th cup measure to scoop them out. I quickly roll them into flat balls and put them on a plate.

Place a paper towel on another plate, ready to receive the fried falafels. Have a salt shaker handy too, since you want to salt them just as they come from the oil.

Test the oil temperature by dropping a pinch of the mixture into it. If it sizzles, you are ready to go. Place half of the shaped balls into the oil. Fry them on one side until they are golden brown, about four minutes. Turn them over and fry for another three or four minutes until they are golden brown. Remove from the oil and place on the paper towel. Sprinkle salt on them immediately. Fry the remaining falafels.

Serve hot with Tahini and Homemade Pita bread.