The night before (or at least 8 hours ahead): Place the dried 1 cup dried chickpeas NOT canned — soaked overnight in cold water in a large Mixing Bowl and cover with at least 3 inches of 1 cup dried chickpeas NOT canned — soaked overnight in cold water. They will roughly triple in size. Let soak at room temperature for 8–12 hours. Drain and rinse well before using. Do NOT use canned 1 cup dried chickpeas NOT canned — soaked overnight in cold water — they are too wet and will cause the falafel to fall apart.

Sort beans and discard any shriveled ones, stones, or debris. Rinse thoroughly in a Colander under cold running water. No soaking needed — pressure cooking works straight from dry. Use roughly 1 lb dried beans to 3–4 cups water or broth. Have aromatics and salt ready; salt can go in at the start.

Add rinsed beans, measured liquid, salt, and aromatics to the inner Pot. Submerge beans fully. Lock the lid and set the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High Pressure. Cook times by bean type: black beans ~25 min; larger beans like white kidney or red beans ~35–40 min. When unsure, start low and check after release. Allow 10–15 min for the pot to come to pressure. When the cycle ends, press Cancel and natural release for 20–30 min — do not open the valve immediately. Pressure is fully released when the float valve drops and the lid unlocks. Short on time? Natural release for at least 10 min, then carefully switch to Venting. Open the lid and bite-test a bean — it should be tender with no hard spots. If still firm, seal and pressure cook on High for an additional 10–20 min, then natural release again. Very old beans or hard water can cause stubbornness.

Add the 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground cardamom (if using), ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp kosher salt, and ½ tsp black pepper freshly ground. Pulse another 5–8 times to combine. The mixture should hold together when you squeeze a small amount in your palm. If it's too wet or crumbly, don't worry — we'll fix that next.

Transfer the mixture to a Mixing Bowl. Add the 1 tsp baking powder, flour, and 1 tbsp sesame seeds (if using). Stir well with a Whisk or your hands until fully combined. Cover the Mixing Bowl with Plastic Wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — this is key for the falafel to hold together during frying.

Sort beans and discard any shriveled ones, stones, or debris. Rinse thoroughly in a Colander under cold running water. No soaking needed — pressure cooking works straight from dry. Use roughly 1 lb dried beans to 3–4 cups water or broth. Have aromatics and salt ready; salt can go in at the start.

Add rinsed beans, measured liquid, salt, and aromatics to the inner Pot. Submerge beans fully. Lock the lid and set the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (or Manual) on High Pressure. Cook times by bean type: black beans ~25 min; larger beans like white kidney or red beans ~35–40 min. When unsure, start low and check after release. Allow 10–15 min for the pot to come to pressure. When the cycle ends, press Cancel and natural release for 20–30 min — do not open the valve immediately. Pressure is fully released when the float valve drops and the lid unlocks. Short on time? Natural release for at least 10 min, then carefully switch to Venting. Open the lid and bite-test a bean — it should be tender with no hard spots. If still firm, seal and pressure cook on High for an additional 10–20 min, then natural release again. Very old beans or hard water can cause stubbornness.

Pour the 3 cups neutral oil such as vegetable or canola, for frying into a medium heavy-bottomed Pot or Skillet to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°F. Use a Meat Thermometer for accuracy — oil that's too cool makes greasy falafel; too hot burns the outside before the inside cooks.

Using a falafel scoop, a small Ice Cream Scoop, or two spoons, portion the chilled mixture into balls or patties about 1.5 inches in diameter (roughly 1.5 tablespoons each). You should get about 16–18 pieces. Handle gently — don't compress too hard.

Working in batches of 5–6, carefully lower the falafel into the hot oil using a Slotted Spoon. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden brown all over. Maintain the oil temperature at 350°F between batches. Transfer to the Parchment Paper-lined plate.

Taste the first batch and adjust seasoning if needed — you can add a pinch more 1 tsp kosher salt or spice to the remaining mixture before shaping and frying the rest.