Oven-Baked Falafel

Place chickpeas in a bowl with four times the amount of water and soak overnight or for at least eight hours.

Peel and roughly chop the onion and garlic. Wash the jalapeño, halve it lengthwise, and slice it into thin strips. Wash the parsley and cilantro, shake or spin them dry thoroughly, and remove any thick stems.

Place half of the herbs in a food processor and chop finely. Add the remaining herbs and chop finely as well. Then add the onion, jalapeno, and garlic to the processor and chop finely.

Drain and thoroughly rinse the chickpeas. Add the chickpeas (preferably in two batches) and spices to the herb mixture and blend until a homogeneous, sandy texture is achieved.

Transfer the falafel dough to a bowl, add the flour and baking powder, and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F) using conventional oven settings (top and bottom heat). Pour oil onto a baking sheet and spread it evenly so that it is completely coated with a thin layer of oil.

Remove the falafel mix from the refrigerator. It should now feel like moist (not wet) sand and just hold together. If it's too moist, add a little flour; if it's too dry to shape, add a little water or oil and chill the mixture briefly again. Now form 16 to 20 equally sized patties from the mixture and place them side by side on the oiled baking sheet.

Place the falafel in the oven at 200°C for 15 minutes, then carefully turn them over and bake for another 10 minutes until the patties are golden brown and crispy on both sides and juicy and soft on the inside.