Surprisingly easy to cook from scratch, this traditional Arab food is delicious as a snack or meze. Authentic Egyptian falafels are made with fava beans instead of chickpeas. Unlike many others, our recipe is both gluten free and vegan – it contains no eggs, flour or breadcrumbs.
Makes about 16 falafels

Ingredients

500g pre-soaked split fava beans
1 red onion
Big bunch fresh coriander
1 red chilli pepper
Zest of 2 lemons
10 mint leaves
3 pinches coarse salt
3 pinches fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
Vegetable oil for deep frying

For the yoghurt sauce
8 mint leaves
350g yoghurt
Juice of ½ lemon
Coarse salt
Fresh ground black pepper

Method

For this recipe you need to pre-soak the beans, but don’t boil them as all the cooking happens in the oil.

Coarsely chop the herbs, chilli and onion. Mix with the beans, spices and lemon zest, and pulse in a food processor until fairly smooth – though not to a paste.

Roll ping pong ball size patties from the mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the yoghurt sauce. Finely chop the mint and stir with the yoghurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate.

Heat enough vegetable oil to cover a single layer of patties in a deep pan. When the oil is very hot, carefully place the patties in the oil and deep fry until dark golden brown – this will take a few minutes.

Drain briefly on kitchen paper and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Serve the falafel with the yoghurt sauce, a lightly dressed salad and some pitta bread.