 When chickpeas are used , they are not cooked prior to use ( cooking the chickpeas will cause the falafel to fall apart , requiring adding some flour to use as a binder ) . Instead they are soaked ( sometimes with baking soda ) overnight , then ground together with various ingredients such as parsley , scallions , and garlic . Spices such as cumin and coriander are often added to the beans for added flavor . The dried fava beans are soaked in water and then stone ground with leek , parsley , green coriander , cumin and dry coriander . The mixture is shaped into balls or patties . This can be done by hand or with a tool called an <unk> falafel ( falafel mould ) . The mixture is usually deep fried , or it can be oven baked . 
