Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water.

Soak the chickpeas at room temperature overnight, for about 12 to 18 hours, until fully hydrated and doubled in size.

Drain the soaked chickpeas thoroughly in a colander and discard the soaking water.

Roughly chop the 1/2 yellow onion and the 4 garlic cloves on a cutting board.

Add the drained chickpeas, chopped onion, garlic, fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, and fresh mint to the food processor.

Pulse the mixture repeatedly until it is finely ground, bright green, and resembles coarse sand rather than a smooth paste.

Add the ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, baking powder, and salt to the chickpea mixture.

Pulse briefly until the spices are evenly distributed, then refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to firm it up.

Shape the chilled mixture into about 16 compact balls or small patties, using roughly 2 tablespoons of mixture for each one.

Pour the neutral frying oil into a deep pot and heat it on the stovetop to 350°F (175°C).

Lower the falafel into the hot oil in small batches and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply golden brown and crisp.

Lift the fried falafel out with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towel before serving hot.