Nohut Köftesi
Turkish Falafel (Chickpea Fritters)
Submitted By: Taz

Ingredients:

2 Cups Dried Chickpeas (Nohut) - DO NOT SUBSTITUTE CANNED!
1 Small Red Onion (Soğan) - rough chopped
1 Bunch Fresh Flat leaf Parsley (Maydanoz)- thick stems removed and rough chopped
1 Bunch Fresh Mint (Taze Nane) - thick stems removed and rough chopped
6 cloves Fresh Garlic (Sarımsak)- rough chopped
Kosher Salt (Tuz) to taste
2 tsp Cumin Seed (Kimyon Tohumu)
1 Tbs Coriander Seed (Kişniş Tohumu)
2 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper (Karabiber) - or to taste
1 tsp Baking Powder (Kabartma Tozu)
2-3 Cups Oil for frying - can use canola, sunflower, safflower, or grape seed
-OPTIONAL-
1 tsp Aleppo Pepper (Halep Biberi)
Substitute Fresh Coriander [Cilantro] (Kişniş) for the parsley
Substitute Fresh Dill (Dereotu) for the mint

Preparation:
  1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth - Add the olive oil and continue to whisk Rinse your chickpeas thoroughly in cold water - Place in a large bowl or container and add enough cold water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches - Allow to soak overnight (12 hours minimum -up to 24 hours)
  2. Once beans have soaked, drain and rinse thoroughly - Let them sit in sieve or colander for 10 minutes to drain off as much water as possible - Transfer to the work bowl of a blender or food processor equipped with chopping blade
  3. Add the remaining ingredients (minus frying oil) to the work bowl of the blender/food processor and pulse (scraping down the sides as needed) into a slightly coarse paste (mixture should be 'coarse' but not 'pebbly' OR smooth) - Make sure that the mixture sticks together like a dough (add a little water if mixture is too dry and crumbles OR add some chickpea flour if mixture is too wet and ‘squishy’)
  4. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator and allow to rest for 1 hour before proceeding
  5. You can divide the mixture into equal portions and roll into a ball (about the size of a ping-pong ball - larger or smaller to your liking) and leave them as balls OR press them into patties OR you can ‘roll out’ the mixture to apx ½ inches thick and use a falafel press to form falafels - Place your formed falafels on a plate or tray in a single layer and place in the refrigerator for a minimum 1 hour (this will help them hold together when frying)
  6. Heat 2-3 inches of cooking oil in a small/medium skillet, saucepan, or wok over medium-high heat to 350ºF - Gently and carefully place 4-5 falafel at a time into the oil and fry 2-3 minutes to a side until crispy and medium brown in color
  7. Transfer to a draining rack or absorbent paper and repeat until you have the desired number of falafel or until the mixture is exhausted
  8. Serve hot along with some Turkish Yogurt Sauce (Cacık) and Turkish Flatbread (Bazlama) or pita as part of your mezze table - Add some rice and a salad for a light meal, or serve as part of a larger Turkish meal