The Secret To Baking Crispy Falafels In The Air Fryer According To A Pro

Whether served on a platter with hummus and garlicky toum or wrapped up in a warm pita with tzatziki, tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion, falafel is a nutritional, globally made, and appreciated street food for vegans and non-vegans alike. While many believe deep frying is the only way to make falafel, self-taught celebrity chef and vegan content creator Priyanka Naik shares her secrets with us for a deliciously crispy air fryer falafel with an irresistibly fluffy interior.

There's a lot of back and forth regarding the birthplace of the falafel, but many theories agree it arose in Egypt sometime in the 1800s. Over the years, the popularity of the humble chickpea-based recipe spread across the Middle East and East Asia, eventually making its way to the U.S. late in the 20th century. According to Naik, and other falafel-making experts, you have to start with dried chickpeas. "Starting with dry chickpeas and soaking them overnight will ensure a delicious and crispy falafel."

Using dried chickpeas as opposed to canned equals more starch, which means you won't need to add flour, cornstarch, or potato starch to your falafel batter, an addition that tends to dry out the end result. In speaking with us, the vegan eco-chef and author Priyanka Naik advises adding a little baking soda or ENO (a brand of Indian "fruit salt" made with sodium carbonate and anhydrous citric acid) to the batter to ensure a crispier exterior.

Baking soda or ENO's high pH aids in breaking down the naturally-occurring starch known as pectin in chickpeas, helping it to gelatinize more quickly, resulting in a crispy falafel, regardless of whether it's dropped into hot oil or air fried. "Blend soaked chickpeas with red onion, parsley, fresh coriander, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, chili flakes, kosher salt, and black pepper. Form into flat patties and air fry at 375 [degrees Fahrenheit] until crisp," advises Naik. The celebrity chef offers a solid recipe for fantastic falafel, but don't hesitate to get creative by adding a pop of color with fresh mint, or a crunchy texture using chopped pistachios. Serve wrapped in saj with a garlicky tzatziki coleslaw, or just pop it straight into your mouth and enjoy.