Falafel

Drain the soaked chickpeas thoroughly and pat them dry with a clean towel.

Tip the chickpeas into a food processor with the onion, garlic, parsley and coriander, then pulse until the mixture forms a coarse, grainy paste rather than a smooth puree.

Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, chilli flakes, salt and black pepper and pulse a few more times to combine, scraping down the sides as needed.

Tip the mixture into a bowl, cover and chill for at least one hour until firm enough to shape.

Stir the bicarbonate of soda through the chilled mixture, then shape it into walnut-sized balls, pressing each one firmly so it holds together while frying.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan to 180°C, then fry the falafel in batches for a few minutes, turning once, until deeply golden brown and crisp all over.

Lift the falafel out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper to drain briefly, then serve them hot.