Put chickpeas in a bowl, cover with plenty of water and leave to soak overnight.

In a bowl, stir together tahini, water and lemon juice, until smooth and runny in consistency. This may require some patience.

Add more water if mixture is too thick and keep stirring till you have a sauce-like consistency.

Add two cloves of finely chopped garlic and season to taste with a bit of salt.

Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Drain chickpeas and add to a blender or food processor along with onions, 3 cloves of garlic, cayenne pepper, parsley, lemon zest, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.

Blend mixture to a coarse texture somewhere between couscous and a paste, add a little water and process some more if the paste seems dry and crumbly.

Using a tablespoon or scoop grab about a meatball’s worth of the falafel paste and squeeze it into the shape of a ball using your hands. It should come together with some force and retain its shape.

If mixture seems too wet, add a little flour, let sit for a few minutes and try again. If on the other hand, it seems too dry and crumbly, try processing a little more and maybe adding a little water.

Once you’re happy with the consistency of the paste, form the remainder into balls.

Heat oil to 180C and fry the falafels no more than six to eight at a time for about 3-4 minutes per batch or until golden brown and delicious on all surfaces.

Leave falafel to drain for about a minute on a cooling rack or fat-absorbing paper.