Chickpea Fritters with Spicy Sauce

A perfect appetizer, or light lunch, that combines tradition with a touch of bold flavor. Enjoy this delicious chickpea fritters recipe by Chef George Tsoulis!

Ingredients

• 500 g chickpeas soaked in water for 1 day
• ½ small onion finely chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 ½ tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 pinch ground cardamom
• sunflower oil for frying

For the spicy sauce:

• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 500 g canned chopped tomatoes
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 100 ml water
• salt
• pepper
• olive oil

For the chickpea fritters:

• Place the chickpease in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover with plastic wrap and let them soak for 1 day.
• Drain the chickpeas well and place them in a large food processor with all the other ingredients except the onion. Pulse on high speed until the mixture comes together (be careful not to make it a paste; it should still have some texture). If using a smaller food processor, work in batches.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the chopped onion, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the dough to firm up.
• After 1 hour, take 2 tablespoons of the mixture, shape it into a fritter, and press gently in the center. Repeat this process for the remaining mixture.
• Heat a deep pot over medium to high heat and add enough sunflower oil to submerge the fritters. Once the oil is hot, fry the chickpea fritters until they are dark golden brown on both sides. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pot and place them on absorbent paper to drain excess oil.

For the spicy sauce:

• In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, stirring with a wooden spoon. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until they caramelize.
• Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Serve the chickpea fritters hot, accompanied by the spicy sauce. Enjoy!

Notes

Related: Crispy, Cheesy Potato Fritters Related: Corn fritters with cilantro

Related: Oven-baked Breaded Olives Related: Tomatokeftedes (Fried Tomato Balls) with Yogurt Sauce