Recipes
from the Holy Land
In
case you are like me and don't know what falafel is, let me tell
you. They are little fried balls of chickpeas or fava beans (or
both) with an assortment of spices and herbs. So in the photo
above, the little brown ball you see is falafel. It is believed
to have come out of Egypt. I frequently read that Coptic
Christians in search of a vegetarian replacement for meat first
created this culinary delight.
However, when you say you are going to eat falafel, it very well could be a falafel sandwich stuffed into a piece of pita bread or a wrap. Now, you don't just put falafel balls inside the bread. They are included, but you have a wide variety of additional goodies to add like scoop of humus, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, hot sauce, a drizzle of tahini, pickled red cabbage leaves and onions, chili sauce, carrots, bell peppers, crispy pickles, and shredded cabbage. There's so much deliciousness to choose from!
You can make your sandwich any way you please. I'm just going to tell you how to make the falafel balls.
Soak your chickpeas overnight. Since they expand a lot, add plenty of water. In the morning, drain and rinse them.
Drop your chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, green pepper, garlic, and all the spices in the food processor. You don't want to blend is up completely. Pulse the blender until the mix resembles coarse sand.
Transfer your mix to a bowl and add the flour and baking soda. Stir is all up, cover it up, and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
Now you need to form your falafel balls with your hands or a scoop. If you think the mixture is too dry, as a tsp of water or lemon juice. If it is too wet, add another tablespoon of flour.
Deep fry the falafel in three inches of oil at medium heat (350 degrees F). Cook six to eight balls at a time for one or two minutes. You want them golden, not charred. Remove the balls and set them om a paper towel to soak up some of the oil.
However, when you say you are going to eat falafel, it very well could be a falafel sandwich stuffed into a piece of pita bread or a wrap. Now, you don't just put falafel balls inside the bread. They are included, but you have a wide variety of additional goodies to add like scoop of humus, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, hot sauce, a drizzle of tahini, pickled red cabbage leaves and onions, chili sauce, carrots, bell peppers, crispy pickles, and shredded cabbage. There's so much deliciousness to choose from!
You can make your sandwich any way you please. I'm just going to tell you how to make the falafel balls.
Falafel
Jerusalem -- by way of Coptic Christians in Egyp
Jerusalem -- by way of Coptic Christians in Egyp
Ingredients:
| 1
cup dried chickpeas (not from a can) 1/2 cup onion, chopped 1
cup parsley, chopped
1 cup cilantro, chopped 1 small green chili pepper 3 garlic cloves |
1
tsp cumin
1 tsp salt 1 tsp cardamom 1/4 tsp black pepper 2 Tbs flour 1/2 tsp baking soda oil for frying |
Soak your chickpeas overnight. Since they expand a lot, add plenty of water. In the morning, drain and rinse them.
Drop your chickpeas, onion, parsley, cilantro, green pepper, garlic, and all the spices in the food processor. You don't want to blend is up completely. Pulse the blender until the mix resembles coarse sand.
Transfer your mix to a bowl and add the flour and baking soda. Stir is all up, cover it up, and put it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.
Now you need to form your falafel balls with your hands or a scoop. If you think the mixture is too dry, as a tsp of water or lemon juice. If it is too wet, add another tablespoon of flour.
Deep fry the falafel in three inches of oil at medium heat (350 degrees F). Cook six to eight balls at a time for one or two minutes. You want them golden, not charred. Remove the balls and set them om a paper towel to soak up some of the oil.