Prepare vegetables ahead of time. Slice some of the red onion and put aside for sandwich toppings; dice the rest for use in falafel patty. Mince the garlic for ease of mixing in food processer/blender. Slice cucumber and tomato, get lettuce leaves ready–place all aside.

Drain chickpeas, then empty container into food processer/blender, and add diced onion, garlic, lime juice, and olive oil. Add cilantro and blend again until mixture is relatively uniform (it will be a bit chunky) and resembles a thick paste. Ideally, you don’t want big chunks of garlic or onion. Add a bit of the flour and baking soda to absorb some of the moisture—I recommend putting the paste in a bowl first and stirring it with a spoon at this point. It becomes very challenging to get out of the blender

Place some of the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and mix with a fork to create a basic dredge. Take about a tablespoon worth of paste, roll it into a small patty, and dip it briefly into the flour dredge. DO NOT coat it entirely— just a gentle dusting to hold it together as a patty, so that the paste does not all disintegrate in fryer. In a skillet or saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Drop the patties in one by one, allowing space between. (Some prefer vegetable oil; I use olive oil for the additional flavor and health benefits. Others also do a deep-fry, where the entire falafel is covered in oil. I fry them in about a quarter inch of oil.)

When the edges of the patty appear to have turned a golden brown, flip and repeat on other side. Once both sides are golden brown, transfer to a plate with a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Put the hummus, veggies, and falafel into a warm pita shell and enjoy!