Crispy Homemade Falafel

Rehydrate the chickpeas in cold water for 10–12 hours. After rehydration, drain them well, rinse them under cold running water, and let them dry in a sieve.

Finely chop the onion, garlic, parsley, and chili pepper (without seeds if you prefer less spicy). Put them in a blender along with the rehydrated chickpeas, salt, and ground cumin. Blend until you get a fine, but slightly granular mixture. Leave the mixture in the refrigerator for 2 hours for the flavors to meld.

From the chilled mixture, shape 20 equal balls. Gently press them with your palm to form patties about 1 cm thick.