Falafels

1. Place the chickpeas in a very large bowl and pour lots of cold water over them. Leave to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the chickpeas thoroughly and place in a Kenwood food processor. Add parsley, garlic, onion and spices and start the motor on high. You will probably have to keep scraping down the sides to get it evenly pureed. Add up to 3 tbsp water if necessary to turn the whole thing into a smooth but fairly solid mass. Finally, whizz in the baking powder.

3. Let the mixture rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

4. Heat a 2.5-5cm / 1-2 inch depth of oil in a heavy pan. Unless you own a falafel maker, use your hands to form firmly packed balls. It may help to keep moistening your hands with water. Try and create balls the size of large cherries. Or you can make them double the size and flatten slightly. If you like, they can be refrigerated or frozen now for later use.

5. As with most fried foods, falafels are best eaten straight after frying, so be ready with your accompaniments. Test the oil—a pinch of the mixture should sizzle immediately but not violently. A small cube of bread should brown in 20-30 seconds.

6. Fry several falafels at a time until golden all over, and then drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately, alone or stuffed into bread with the suggested accompaniments above.

Recipe courtesy of Kenwood's Around the World in 80 Plates