Add salt to 2 quarts of water and stir until dissolved. Add the chickpeas and soak overnight for 8-24 hours*. After soaking, drain and rinse.
Combine the chickpeas, herbs and spices, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until pieces are uniform, but slightly coarse, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Form about 3 tablespoons of mixture into a ball**.
Fill oil about half to three-fourths high in a deep skillet or saucepan and heat over medium heat until 375°F.
Carefully add each ball or disc into the oil using tongs or a slotted spoon***.
Once the underside of the first falafel reaches a deep golden brown, flip it over to brown the other side. Repeat with the remaining falafels.
Once the entire falafel is a deep golden brown, carefully remove from the oil, one-by-one, and place on a cooling rack set over a rimmed cookie sheet to drain the oil.
Serve with tahini sauce (recipe below), shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and crumbled feta.
Tahini Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and well-combined.
Notes
*Canned chickpeas are not ideal for this recipe because it contains too much water and will result in a mixture with excess moisture.**You can leave it as a ball or slightly flatten them into discs.***To keep track of your falafels, drop them clock-wise around the edge of the skillet or pan so that you know which falafel was added to the oil first.