These were inspired by falafel, yet not intended to bear any similarity. It often occurs to me how badly made and widely misinterpreted those Middle Eastern fritters usually are. The once staple food of vegetarians across the land, the falafel has become a soggy caricature of its formerly glorious self.

Firstly, they are best made from broad beans and chickpeas, not just chickpeas. Secondly, the mix is made from the raw pulses which are ground, seasoned and fried. Not cooked and mashed with an afterthought of cumin or, God forbid, some carrot or corn. However this recipe is none of these things; it is instead an ode to the oft missing broad bean. A fanfare, if you will, that elevates the humble legume into crispy, crunchy glory. The broad bean needs a gentle touch, a little nudge here and there to encourage it to show its flavors. A whispering of herbs accentuates the garden freshness whilst the merest sliver of spring onion tantalizes the tongue. It takes very little for the deceptively strong spring onion to overpower, so tread carefully. The balancing of flavor is always a delicate dance which is why it is vital to know both your ingredients and your goal.