Rinse the dried chickpeas and place them in a large bowl, covering them with cold water by about 4 inches. Cover and soak overnight or until the beans triple in size. Drain the soaked chickpeas, rinse, and pat dry, or add them to a salad spinner to spin dry.

The next day, roughly chop the scallions and fresh herbs. Then, add the soaked chickpeas, scallions, garlic, fresh herbs, salt, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne, black pepper, and baking powder to the bowl of a food processor.

Pulse the mixture until very finely minced but not pureed, scraping the bowl down as necessary. You should be able to press a handful together and have it hold its shape (it will be loose and a little crumbly). See our video and photos above for reference.

Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to help the balls hold together when cooking. If you are making this ahead, you can refrigerate the covered mixture for a few days.

Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to scoop out 1 ½ tablespoons of the falafel mixture, then gently squeeze and shape it into a ball and place it onto a clean plate. Repeat with as many falafel as you plan to cook. The mix will not act like dough but will hold its shape. Watch the video to see how we do this.

Optional step: As an extra fail-safe for preventing the balls from falling apart when they hit the oil, rest the falafel balls in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes before cooking them.

Add at least 1 inch of oil to a deep saucepan, cast iron skillet, or Dutch oven. The smaller the pan, the less oil you will need. The wider the pan, the more falafel you can cook at one time.

Turn the heat to medium-high and heat the oil so that it is between 350°F and 375°F (176°C to 190°C).

Fry the falafel in batches, placing them gently into the oil without crowding in the pan. Cook, without moving them, until they brown on the bottom sides. Using two forks, carefully flip the falafel to brown the other side, 3 ½ minutes to 4 minutes total.

Transfer the cooked falafel to a plate lined with a paper towel, sprinkle with a little extra salt, and then repeat with the remaining falafel balls. Serve immediately.