Add to the 1/2 cup of water, the chili powder, coriander powder, amchur powder and tomato paste (if using). Mix together well and set aside.

Heat oil in deep fryer or large (non-coated) pan to 350 degrees and cook potatoes then cauliflower until cooked. Set these aside.

In a large skillet, large enough to hold all the ingredients, add about 5 tblsp of the oil you just used to fry your potatoes and cauliflower in. Turn the heat to medium/low and add in the cumin seeds.

After the seeds have had a chance to toast slightly, not blacken, about a minute, add in the ginger/garlic paste, tomatoes, chili pepper, onions and turmeric powder. Saute over medium heat until the tomato pieces break down into a mush or sauce (Masala) about 8-12 minutes.

Add the water/chili/spice mix into the pan and also add the salt into the mix, then rub the methi leaves between the palms of your hands, to break it up into the mix. Also add the coriander (Cilantro) leaves.

Instructions

Place chicken pieces into stockpot. Add garlic, onion, 2 tsp of cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, mace, cloves, coriander, cumin, thyme, parsley, apricot nectar, apple juice, salt and pepper. If necessary, add a little water to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to a simmer (low), cover and cook until the chicken is very tender and falls off the bone. (about 2-3 hours) Remove from heat, cool chicken in stock. Remove chicken and discard the bones and skin. Cut or shred the chicken into small pieces. Put aside.

Strain the cooled stock into a sauce pan over high heat and reduce to about 2 cups. Add the eggs, reduce the heat to a low simmer, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the eggs are thick & creamy, now reduce until all of the moisture is evaperated. (about 15 minutes) Remove from heat. Remove the egg mixture and set aside.

Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the almonds and cook until the almonds are golden. Cool and combine almonds with the powdered sugar and remaining 1 tsp cinnamon.

Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a flat work surface. Keep remaining sheets covered with a damp cloth. Using a wide pastry brush, brush lightly the phyllo sheet with the cooled butter to cover it completely. Top the phyllo sheet with a second phyllo sheet, placed at a 45º angle to the first sheet. Brush with butter and repeat until you use 8 sheets of phyllo dough and they form a circle of dough. Make a second stack of 8 buttered sheets in the same manner.

Reserve ½ of the almond mixture. Sprinkle ½ of the almond mixture on each stack of phyllo dough, forming a 8 inch circle in the middle of each stack. Cover each circle of nuts with ½ the reserved chicken. Now equally divide the remaining egg mixture in ½ and cover the chicken fillings, then top off the eggs with the remaining almond mixture equally divided amongst the two sheet stacks.

Bring one side of the phyllo up and over to cover as much of the filling as possible and brush the top of the dough with butter. Bring the remaining sides up and around, one at time, overlapping and buttering as you go, until all sides have been folded over the filling. Repeat with the second stack of phyllo.

Preheat oven to 375° .

Brush 1 phyllo sheet with butter and lay it over the top of a filled phyllo pie. Butter and overlay 7 more sheets, positioning them to form a circle over the filled pie. Butter the underside of a section of the top stack and fold it down under the pie, continue buttering and overlapping to form a slightly hexagonal shape.

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Decorate with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

(One day in advance) Place the dried chickpeas and baking soda in a large bowl filled with water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Soak overnight for 18 hours (longer if the chickpeas are still too hard). When ready, drain the chickpeas completely and pat them dry.

My food processor is not large enough to hold all the ingredients at once, first I add to the processor the chickpeas, onions, garlic and spices, run the food processor on low speed for up to 40 seconds at a time, you may need to stop and use a rubber spatula to get stuck chickpeas off the sides. Process until well mixed. Remove from processor and add all the herbs, after grinding them up, add them to the chickpea mixture, mix well, then return half of the mix (at a time), back to the processor so now the mixture will look much greener all the way through. Repeat with the other half.

Transfer the falafel mixture to a container and cover tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or (up to one whole night) until ready to cook.

Just before frying, add the baking powder and sesame seeds to the falafel mixture and stir with a spoon

Fill a medium saucepan 3 inches up with oil. Heat the oil on medium-high until it bubbles softly (365°F.). Carefully drop the falafel patties Avoid crowding the falafel in the saucepan, I fried them 4 at a time, in batches, for 5 minutes.

I used 1 & 1/8th oz. egg shaped balls, formed by an old ice cream scooper! You can use what you have or simply a table spoon. You can even shape into patties, but remember not to make them too thin because you want the inside to be fluffy, so about ½ inch thick!
If your sprinkling with toasted (or untoasted) sesame seeds, keep an empty paper plate on the side where you can hold the falafel over and sprinkle sesame seeds over it before dropping into the hot oil, also you may want to give the seeds s light and quick press with your fingers to make sure they all don't fall off in the oil. Fry for about 5 minutes or until crispy and medium to dark brown on the outside. I only used about an inch of oil in my pan so at 2 and one half minutes I flipped the falafel for even cooking. Test one, inside it should be cooked and not wet, but fluffy, outside crispy and delicious

If your using only your hands, it helps to have wet hands as you form the patties or scoops. Another trick is if you using a scoop to coat the scoop lightly in oil before you start.

Place the fried falafel patties in a slotted tray or a plate lined with paper towels to drain the oil from the falafels.
Assemble the falafel patties in pita bread or Lavash bread with tahini or hummus or tabouli or babaganoush or simply enjoy on their own.

See my recipe for my Deluxe Falafel Wrap

Original recipe from The Mediterranean Dish

Pick through the beans to remove any foreign objects and rinse them. Soak the beans for in water for 8-12 hours, draining and rinsing them every three hours.

Bring the beans to a boil with the chicken stock, add the onion and garlic, reduce heat and simmer for 2½ hours.

Working in two batches, in a large frying pan heat 6 tblsp of the lard or bacon fat on medium-low heat, add ½ the beans and their liquid into the hot fat, yes this is going to spatter, be careful, also add half the chili powder in each batch, fry for 8-10 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. You can use a potato masher to mash them at this point, or if you have an immersion blender, you can wait until both batches are together and then us the blender on them. Then you can blend the onion remnants as well!
Taste, add the salt if needed.

Pick through the beans to remove any foreign objects and rinse them. Soak the beans for in water for 8-12 hours, draining and rinsing them every three hours.

Bring the beans to a boil with the chicken stock, add the onion and garlic, reduce heat and simmer for 2½ hours.

Working in two batches, in a large frying pan heat 6 tblsp of the lard or bacon fat on medium-low heat, add ½ the beans and their liquid into the hot fat, yes this is going to spatter, be careful, also add half the chili powder in each batch, fry for 8-10 minutes until most of the liquid is gone. You can use a potato masher to mash them at this point, or if you have an immersion blender, you can wait until both batches are together and then us the blender on them. Then you can blend the onion remnants as well!
Taste, add the salt if needed.

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
After grating the zucchini, squeeze out the excess water, combine all ingredients.
On a lightly greased sheet pan add 1 tblsp of the mixture with some space inbetween each tblsp of mixture.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the tops and sides have started to brown.