Falafil

one cup, approximately, dried chickpeas
2 cloves garlic, or to taste, finely chopped
1/2 large onion
1 tablespoon cumin, ground
1 tablespoon coriander, ground
1-2 tablespoons tumeric
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
oil for frying

Soak chick peas for one to two days until expanded and moist. Using a strong garlic press or very fine potatoe masher or food processor, mash the chick peas into a very fine mash. mince the garlic and onion, and add to the peas. Then add spices and mix well. Taste test for the accurate amount of spices, keeping in mind that some of the taste will be lost in frying. Add parsley and mix well, so that spices and parsley are dispersed evenly throughout the mixture.
Heat oil in a pot or deep fryer. Make sure that there is enough room between the surface of the oil and the rim of the pot for the oil to bubble and roll in a boil without boiling over onto the burner (this creates very amazing but slightly startling and potentially quite dangerous fires).
Form the falafil mix into small, firm balls, using your hands. Carefully place in the oil. Remove when golden brown.

Tips:
The mix will keep in the fridge for a number of days.
Using canned chickpeas is also an option, but the balls tend to fall apart when boiling. The fried crumbs taste great, but are more oily and there is more waste.
All of the ingredients have to be ground very fine, or the flafil balls will fall apart. That is why I use a garlic press.
Serve with a pita or tortilla salad,with greens, tomatoe, and cucumber. Falafil tastes best with tzatziki, but during fasts I like to pour salad dressing over it.
This serves Phil and I a few meals.