Falafel (Arabic: فلافل falaafil (help·info), Hebrew: פָלָאפֶל; also known in Egypt and Sudan as ta'meya, Arabic طعمية), is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezze (snack or tapas). The word "falafel" is the plural of the Arabic word فلفل (filfil), meaning pepper.[1] Variant spellings in English include felafel and filafil.
Falafel is usually served as a sandwich wrapped in pita bread, and outside the Middle East, the term "falafel" commonly refers to this sandwich—falafel in a pita is typical street food or fast food. Along with the falafel balls, which may be crushed onto the bread or added whole, topping variations are usually included. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze. During Ramadan they are sometimes eaten as part of an iftar, the meal which breaks the daily fast after sunset.
Serves: 8
Difficulty: medium
Prep & Cook time: 2 hours
Falafel Recipe:
2 cups dried garbanzo beans
1 1/2 cup dried fava beans
1 cup cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/2 cup parsley
8 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp salt
1 tbs coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 very large onion
1/2 tsp blk pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda, added 15 minutes before frying
1/2 tsp baking powder
Soak the garbanzo beans and fava beans in water over night before the day of cooking. Chop and blend the garbanzo beans and fava beans in a food processor until the beans are the consistency of fine bread crumbs. Put in a large bowl. Next put the onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley in the blender and blend until it is a paste consistency, add to bean mixture. To the bowl add the cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, bread crumbs and cayenne pepper and mix very well. Taste to see if you would like to add more salt or not. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a 2 to 3 inch frying pan, turn to medium-low heat. Add the baking soda to the bean mixture and mix well. Mold the falafel mixture into small balls and drop into oil to fry, continually turn over the falafel balls to keep the color an even brown on all sides, when they are a medium brown color, remove the balls and drain on a paper towel for a minute. Serve warm and fresh with tahini sauce and vegetables.
Thanks for such nice recipe dede.....
Last time made with some different recipe n it was worst......
This time i made with ur recipe n its turn outs gr8......
U r really gr8 cook...u explain such nice way....
Thanks a lot....u made my day.....
pollyg
- close up of food/hands when cooking and alternativ
|95.170.19.xxx
|2010-01-12 07:15:57
really good site with interesting recipies i'm dying to try. Would be really nice to see close up of your hands when you cook. Or close up of the foods before cooking, so we can see what they look like eg. the size of chick peas after soaking etc. Also some ingredients may be difficult to obtain ie. Tahini can you write something on how to make your own tahini paste? Are there alternative beans you can you than the ones you suggest? Again, some of us may not be able to find all ingredients. I live in rural France so it's difficult for me.
Love2Cook
- Freezer safe?
|99.224.139.xxx
|2009-11-24 14:43:49
Hi Dede,
Great Site! Just curious, do these freeze/reheat well?
Cheers,
Love2Cook
raggamuffin
- Could I be allergic??!
|71.163.209.xxx
|2009-11-10 18:18:37
I just made these for my husband and I. We're huge fans of falafel, but have never had them with fava beans. Since you're such a fantastic cook, we decided to try it. Followed everything by the tea, and when we ate the first two that we made to test out the consistency. Everything was fine, but there was this strong bitter taste. So we adjusted the seasonings with salt and pepper, and added bread crumbs and flour just as I read in your comments.. When we sat down to stuff our pitas, we were so excited and they were delicious at first. Then about the 5th or 6th bite, the two of us got this strong tingling sensation when we bit into the falafel. we tried everything separate, and it seems to be the falafel i'm allergic to. Fava beans are the only thing new to us in this entire recipe. Could we be allergic? Our tongues were tingling so bad we couldn't eat it anymore
jkooshian
- The baking powder
|66.227.246.xxx
|2009-11-05 11:42:48
Hello! I'm wondering when the baking powder listed at the end of the ingredient list is added. Is this at the same time as baking soda (right before frying)? Thank you!
Hummus 
