Emeril's Sure-fired Falafel

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried garbanzo beans (garbanzo beans, about 12 ounces)
• 1 cup cilantro leaf
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/2 onion, quartered
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• pita bread, for serving

Recipe

• 1 place chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water. let stand for 8 hours or overnight. drain and set aside.
• 2 place chickpeas, cilantro, spices, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, onions, garlic, and red bell pepper in a food processor or meat grinder. sprinkle flour and baking powder over entire mixture. pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. divide chickpea mixture into 16 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patties or disks.
• 3 in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. slide in the patties and cook until they begin to brown, about 3 minutes per side. repeat with the remaining patties.
• 4 serve with pita bread, hummus and middle eastern condiments.