Falafel Pitas with Cilantro-Cashew Sauce

To start this recipe, we’ll soak the dried chickpeas and raw cashews separately to get that perfectly fluffy falafel and creamy sauce. Place the chickpeas in a medium container and cover with 4 cups of water. Place the cashews in a small container and cover with 2 cups of water. Cover both and let them sit for 10 to 12 hours.

When the cashew soak is complete, blend that sauce: Drain the nuts and throw them into a blender along with the cilantro, water, lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper, if using. Whiz it all up until a creamy sauce forms. A high-speed blender is the quickest tool for the job, but a standard blender works, too; it just takes a few minutes longer. You’ll need to eyeball it to get to a creamy consistency; you may need to add an extra tablespoon or two of water. Taste, and add another pinch of salt, as needed. Transfer to a container, cover and refrigerate until serving. You should have about 1 1/3 cups.

On to the falafel: Warm the garlic in a medium (dry) skillet over medium heat, flipping it once or twice, until just browned, about 2 minutes total. Transfer to a food processor, along with the red onion, carrot, cilantro stems and parsley. Process until finely chopped, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Drain the soaked chickpeas and add them to the food processor, along with the cumin and salt. Process for about 20 seconds total, stopping and scraping down the bowl a few times, until a crumbly dough forms.

Take a heaping tablespoon of the dough and use your hands to form it into a disk about 2 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Falafel dough is crumbly (not like the consistency of cookie dough), so don’t be alarmed. It takes a little pressing to stay together.

Repeat to make 24 disks, placing them on a baking sheet. Because you will be pan-frying and not deep-frying, the flat disk shape will help the falafel get cooked through.

Heat the oil in the same skillet you used for the garlic, over medium-high heat. Place a crumb from a falafel disk in the oil, and once it starts to sizzle, the oil is ready. Fry about 8 falafel at a time, for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until they are lightly browned all over. We like using chopsticks to flip them, and we do it carefully to avoid spattering oil. Transfer the cooked falafel to a plate. Add a bit more oil to keep the bottom of the skillet covered for the next batch.

Once the falafel are done, you can eat them immediately, or refrigerate or freeze them.

To serve: Stuff each of the pita halves with 3 falafel, cucumber slices, red onion, spinach and tomatoes. Dollop with enough cilantro-cashew sauce to cover the filling, and some harissa, if using.