How to make falafel

Make the falafel mixture

Open 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas and drain, reserving 2 tbsp of the brine. Put half the chickpeas into a food processor and whizz for 30 seconds, then 1 tbsp of the reserved liquid, 2 finely chopped spring onions, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, a pinch of allspice, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 4 tbsp flour and a large bunch each of fresh parsley and coriander.

Whizz again until smooth and well combined, then add the remaining chickpeas and whizz very briefly – you want the second addition of chickpeas to stay coarse in the mixture. If the mixture seems a little dry, add more of the reserved liquid until you achieve the desired consistency.

Make the houmous

Meanwhile, make the herby houmous. Add 1 x 400g tin drained chickpeas, 3 tsp tahini and a couple of teaspoons of cold water to the food processor and blitz for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Add in the 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of 1/2 a lemon, and a large pinch of paprika. Blitz again until the houmous is very smooth, adding more water if the mixture is too thick. Add a small bunch of chopped fresh parsley or coriander and blitz until well-distributed. Spoon into a bowl and chill until required.

Fry the falafel

In a large frying pan, heat 4cm sunflower oil. Fry the falafels in batches for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and leave to cool slightly.