Step 1

1 Place the chickpeas in a mixing bowl and cover with cool water by a few inches

Step 2

2 Let them sit overnight

Step 3

3 Drain the chickpeas into a colander, discarding the soaking liquid

Step 4

4 Combine the onion and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped

Step 5

5 Add the crushed coriander seed and drained chickpeas; pulse just until the chickpeas are reduced to smaller chunks

Step 6

6 Stop to shove the mixture around with a spatula

Step 7

7 Add the salt, cumin and pepper; process until the mixture is finely chopped but not pureed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed

Step 8

8 The mixture should resemble coarse meal, not a smooth hummus

Step 9

9 It should mostly hold together when you press a clump in your hands

Step 10

10 (If your food processor isn't big enough to hold all the ingredients, especially after you add the herbs in the next step, process the mixture in two batches

Step 11

11 )

Step 12

12 Add the cilantro and parsley to the falafel mixture in the food processor; pulse until the herbs are finely chopped and evenly distributed

Step 13

13 Test the mixture again by trying to shape it into a mound

Step 14

14 Continue to process until it keeps its shape

Step 15

15 When you're ready to fry, heat 2 inches of oil in a deep, heavy pot over medium to medium-high heat, to 375 degrees

Step 16

16 Line a baking sheet with paper towels, then seat a wire cooling rack on top

Step 17

17 Use a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or disher or your hands to form a total of 30 to 40 slightly mounded disks that are about 1 1/2 inches wide

Step 18

18 (If you've shaped the disks with a scoop or disher, gently flatten them a bit with your hands so they are not so dramatically domed

Step 19

19 ) Using this shape, rather than a ball, helps to promote even cooking

Step 20

20 Carefully add 6 to 8 falafel at a time to the hot oil; cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until they are browned and cooked through

Step 21

21 Use a slotted spoon to transfer them the rack to drain

Step 22

22 Repeat to cook all the falafel, making sure the oil returns to the proper temperature before adding the next batch

Step 23

23 Serve warm or at room temperature

Step 24

24 VARIATIONS: To bake the falafel, place them on a rimmed baking sheet generously slicked with olive oil

Step 25

25 Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until browned and crisped, flipping them over halfway through

Step 26

26 For a spicy red falafel, skip the herbs and add between 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup of harissa, depending on how spicy you like it, stirring it into the processed chickpeas by hand