How long does it take to make Falafel?

Soak the dried chickpeas a whole night, about 12 hours, and grind them raw.

12 hr 50 minTotal

20 minActive time

12 hr 30 minSetting

#	What to do	How long
1	Soak the chickpeas a whole night (about 12 hours) in plenty of cold water, drain and rinse	12 hr
2	Grind the chickpeas in a food processor with the parsley, cilantro, onion and garlic, in pulses, to an even, grainy mixture, not a paste	—
3	Add the cumin, salt and baking soda, mix and refrigerate 30 minutes	30 min
4	Form Small balls with wet hands	—
5	Heat the oil' in a deep pot' to 175–180°C (345–355°F) and fry the balls in batches for 3–4 minutes	20 min

Soak in plenty of water, well above what's being soaked: legumes and grains swell and drink water, and whatever sticks out stays hard. Drain well before continuing.
In a food processor, grind in short pulses and check between pulses: it's easy to go from coarse to paste. (Sesame for tahini, on the other hand, is ground continuously.)
Don't overload the oil: every piece that goes in cools it down. Fry one piece as a test, then the rest in several batches, and transfer to paper towels.

Dried chickpeas, only soaked, not cooked and not canned: a cooked chickpea doesn't hold the ball together, and the falafel falls apart in the oil.
Keep the oil at 170–180°C (340–355°F): too cold, and the food soaks up oil; too hot, and it browns outside before the inside cooks. Without a thermometer, dip the tip of a wooden spoon in the oil: when medium bubbles form around it right away, the oil is hot enough.