For chickpea falafel, the chickpeas are usually soaked overnight before grinding.
Dried chickpeas are not normally boiled for this preparation. Soaking hydrates and softens them enough to be ground into a coarse mixture while keeping the mixture firm enough to shape. Baking soda is sometimes added to the soaking water.
After soaking, the chickpeas are drained and ground with ingredients such as parsley, scallions, garlic, cumin, and coriander. The mixture is then formed into balls or patties and usually deep-fried, though baking is also possible.
This differs from hummus, where chickpeas are boiled until tender before blending. It also differs from fava-bean falafel traditions, especially in Egypt, where dried fava beans are soaked and then ground with herbs and spices. Cooking chickpeas too early can make chickpea falafel fall apart unless extra flour or another binder is added.