Falafel is one of those recipes that you will very likely not get right the first time. So don't get discouraged, it's normal, keep trying. There are several little details that you can only perfect through repetition. I did say that falafel does not involve sophisticated tools for its production, but the process is so, and you have to be patient to master it.
The idea is for the croquettes to turn crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, but that is where, as Cantinflas used to say, the detail lies because, if the texture gets too soft, the croquettes can fall apart as you fry them, or can become chewy, and, the result of the croquettes must be soft, yes, but not without texture. That is why, for this dish, the chickpeas are only soaked in water, not cooked, and it is very important that you do this overnight.
Another tip that made the difference, for me, this last time I prepared falafel —compared to other recipes I had tried before— and that I have only seen in Laila Haddad's recipe, from The Gaza Kitchen (which was the one that inspired me, and that, as I said, will become my go-to recipe from now on), is that she adds a second rest to the dough after grinding the chickpeas, as this allows the mixture to absorb the liquid well, before forming the balls.
So, here goes the process "from start to finish", take a breath, relax and enjoy, because this is going to be a long one...
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