Better-Than-Falafel Balls

The problem with falafel is that it tends to be dry. Enter falafel balls made with raw hummus. They're crunchy on the outside, creamy and smooth on the inside. Serve in a warm pita with plain yogurt, hot sauce or harissa thinned with a little lemon juice, sliced red onion, lettuce, mint, and cilantro. Or serve as an appetizer with a squeeze of lemon and a little dish of yogurt sauce for dipping.

• You will need:
• Raw hummus (1 cup of hummus yields about 6, 1-inch diameter balls)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin per cup of hummus
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Vegetable oil
• Lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
• Fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional) 

For t he yogurt sauce, mix together the following.....

• Plain yogurt
• Salt
• Pepper
• Squeeze of lemon

Directions:

Note:

I made the falafel balls with cold hummus straight from the fridge. They turned out crunchy and dark golden brown on the outside, warm and creamy and still hummus-y on the inside. If you prefer a more cooked falafel, let the hummus come to room temperature before you fry the balls. (The warmer the hummus, the sticker and harder to handle it is, and the more it will tend to form disks as it cooks rather than balls. Wetting your hands first will make rolling easier.)

Stir the cumin into the hummus. Using your hands, form into 1-inch diameter balls.  In a shallow saute pan, add a quarter-inch of a mix of olive and vegetable oil. (The olive oil is for flavor, the vegetable oil raises the oil's smoke point so you can fry at a higher temperature without burning the oil.) Heat the oil to medium high.

Making sure not to crowd the pan, fry the balls on all sides, about 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. (The way they sit in the pan, they'll develop 3 flat sides.) Lower the oil temperature as you go if the balls get too dark before they develop a nice golden crust. Drain briefly on a plate lined with paper towel, and serve immediately with wedges of lemon, yogurt sauce, and a garnish of fresh mint leaves.