I thought to augment my tried-and-true falafel with grated zucchini. The result, fritters that were bouncily crumbed, and a slightly rumpled texture as the threads of zucchini had a tenderness against the traditional chickpeas.
The recipe, heady with herbs and with only a subtle suggestion of chile, are vegan and gluten free; they can be deep fried entirely, or browned briefly in oil then cooked through completely in a hot oven.
Afternoons I serve them hot from the fryer, as snacks with tahini sauce, toum (a Lebanese garlic sauce), harissa, tzatziki, salsa verde or hummus — really, whatever dunkable condiment I have in the fridge. Later in the evening, I present them with sliced cucumbers, radish, feta and pickled onions, to be eaten with pita and a green sauce made of the same herbs from the falafel, smoothed out with pistachios and avocado. The next day, leftovers might be spread into a bun with lettuce and tomato, or left whole and packed with the last of the dips.
For the falafel
2 zucchini
Medium grain kosher salt
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife
1/2 cup loosely-packed cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1/2 cup loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 small red chile, stemmed, or dried chile flakes to taste
1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
Chickpea flour (besan), cornstarch, or flour, if needed
Oil, for frying
Green sauce
1/4 cup raw pistachios, cashews, or tahini
3/4 cup loosely-packed cilantro, leaves and tender stems
3/4 cup loosely-packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
A few sprigs of mint, optional
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed with the side of a knife
1 serrano or jalapeño chile, stemmed and seeds removed if desired
1 avocado
1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil, avocado oil, pistachio oil or something neutral, plus more as needed
Cold water, as needed
Medium grain kosher salt, as needed
Options to serve
Toum, tahini sauce, yogurt, or hummus
Chile oil
Sesame seeds
Pita
Red onions, pickled or shocked in ice water
Lemon wedges
METHOD
Start with the falafel. Using the large grating blade of a food processor, shred the zucchini, sending it through the feed tube with minimum pressure (this keeps the strands wispy). Strew the zucchini across a lint-free kitchen towel. Salt lightly, gently press another towel atop and set aside. After 30 minutes, roll the package into a tight cylinder, hold for 30 seconds, then unfurl.
Without cleaning the food processor, affix the metal blade. Blend the green onions, garlic, cilantro, parsley and chile to a paste. Drain the soaked chickpeas, and tumble into the processor bowl. Pulse the chickpeas to a rough rubble. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Shake in the ground spices and salt, then the squeezed zucchini and pulse again briefly—3 to 5 bursts. Hold a spoonful of the falafel mixture into our hand. It should damply hold together. If dry, miserly drip in water. If wet, add chickpea flour to tighten it up.
Using a 2-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop or two spoons, form the mix into balls. You should get about 20.
As you roll falafel, heat 3” of oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan or deep fryer to 330°F. Set a cooling rack over a sheet pan with paper towels on top.
Working in batches, fry the falafel, turning regularly, until golden brown on all sides, around 5 minutes. Drain on the kitchen towels and season with salt. Let the falafel cool as you get the sauce together.
Pulse the pistachios in the food processor until finely chopped (if using the tahini, add later, with the avocado). Stop the machine, drop in the cilantro, parsley, mint, garlic and serrano into the bowl, and pulse until you have a multicoloured confetti. Scoop in the avocado flesh, juice from half of the lemon, and purée. With the motor still running, drizzle in the olive oil, followed by enough cold water to achieve a loose, pourable sauce. Scrape down the sides of the processor bowl, taste and season generously with salt, taste again. The sauce should be balanced with heat, acidity, and salt. Squeeze in more lemon juice if needed. Decant to a serving dish, and offer alongside falafel, with other accoutrements as desired.