Servings: 6 Prep: 12 hours. Cook: 40 min
1 lb DRY chickpeas (canned won't work)
1 1/2 small onion (roughly chopped)
1/4 c chopped fresh parsely
6 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 T flour
1 3/4 t salt
1 1/2 t cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground cardamom
Canola oil for frying
Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak overnight. They will double in size as they soak- you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking.
Drain and rinse the beans well. Pour them into food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, coriander, pepper, cayenne, and cardamom. (If smaller processor, divide each ingredient in half).
Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, course meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process until the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, smaller pieces better, but stop before it's humus!
Once the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chunks.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat oil slowly over med heat. The ideal temp is between 360° and 375°F (use deep fry or candy thermometer).
While oil heats, form mixture into round balls (mellon baller) or small patties using wet hands.
Optional: Some people like to add baking soda to the mixture to lighten up the texture inside of the balls. Before refrigerating, dissolve 2 t baking soda in 1 t water and mix into mixture.
Troubleshooting: If the balls won't hold together, put back in the processor and continue blending until more pasty. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil they will bind together and stick. If they still won't hold together, you can try adding 2-3 T of flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should be able to fix everything.
Before frying the first batch, fry one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temp it'll take 2-3 minutes per side to brown. Once at the right temp, fry the balls in batches of 5-6 at a time until golden brown on both sides.
Once fried, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels. Serve fresh and hot, possibly with hummus, tahini, or in a pita.
