Amaranth Falafel

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas*
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, including stems
• 1/2 bunch curly parsley,including stems
• 1/2 bunch dill, including stems
• 1 ounce amaranth leaves
• 1 small yellow onion, grated on a box grater
• 1 to 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• Kosher salt
• 3 tsp white sesame seeds, toasted
• 4 cups neutral vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with water by 4 inches. Soak overnight at room temperature.
2. The following day, drain the beans. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the beans, cilantro, parsley, dill, amaranth leaves, onion, chiles, garlic, baking powder, cumin, and coriander. Grind together, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure a fine grind, but not a puree.
3. Scrape into a large bowl, season with 2 teaspoons salt, and stir in the sesame seeds.
4. Preheat the oven to 200F. Set a wire rack on a sheet pan. Gently heat the oil in a heavy pot to 350F.
5. Shape the chickpea mixture into walnut-size balls. Working in batches, fry the balls in the hot oil, turning once, for about 3 minutes per side, until crispy on the outside and tender and warm on the inside. Be sure not to crowd the balls in the pot or they will not cook evenly. Transfer the cooked falafel to the prepared rack and keep warm in the oven. Fry the remaining balls the same way and sprinkle the falafel with salt before serving.

Notes