Falafel Ingredients | Made Man Falafel Ingredients Facebook Twitter Stumble Google+ Save While actual recipes have a lot of variation, there are several basic falafel ingredients. Falafel is a common Middle Eastern street food that is typically served in a pita or wrapped in a flatbread and topped with a tahini sauce or, generally in Western countries, hummus. Chickpeas. In Israel and many other Middle Eastern countries, the primary falafel ingredients are chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. The chickpeas make falafel very high in protein and fiber. Fava beans. In Egypt, falafel is more commonly made using one of their staple foods, fava beans. Some countries use a combination of fava beans and chickpeas as the foundation of falafel. The beans are either soaked in baking soda and ground up or cooked and mashed before being used in falafel. Onion. Finely chopped onion is a common falafel ingredient. Falafel is also often topped with sliced or pickled raw onions and other vegetables. Garlic. Garlic is used in larger amounts in Egypt where the dish is generally made to be spicier.

Most falafel contains some garlic for flavor. Coriander. The seeds from the cilantro plant are dried and ground to make coriander, a spice that is frequently used in Middle Eastern cooking. Cumin. Best known as a key flavor in hummus, cumin is another spice that is a common falafel ingredient. Parsley. Adding a fresh flavor to balance the other spices, fresh, finely-diced parsley is another falafel ingredient. Vegetable oil. The rest of the falafel ingredients are combined and shaped into balls or small patties. The falafel is then fried in hot vegetable oil before being served. show comments Falafel Recipe - dish-away dish-away Favorite ِArabic, Middle Eastern, and International Recipes. Pages Tweet Anyone out there who doesn’t love falafel? Falafel is very common across all Arab and Middle East countries, it is even found in the Turkish cuisine. People disagree about the origins of falafel, some say it dates back to the Pharos, others insist it is an Arabic dish, and some say it is a Hebrew one. Each of these cuisines add their touch to the popular falafel dish and call it their own.

While they have their differences in preparing it, in all versions legumes is the main ingredient! In Egypt they use dried broad beans (fave beans) to prepare falafel. Falafel burgers are then shaped manually. In Egypt, the common falafel burgers are large and stuffed with dried coriander. In the Levant region, dried chickpeas alone or mixed with broad beans are used as a base, and a mixture of vegetables and spices are added to it. Falafel burgers are usually small and are shaped using a brass hand machine. Falafel is served with hummus , foul mudamas , pickles, sliced ​​tomatoes and tahini (sesame paste) sauce . A falafel meal has high nutritional value. Studies conducted by the National Nutritional Institute in Cairo, show that falafel has a high iron content. When I prepare falafel and its smell fills the house, my mind overfills with sweet childhood memories of Friday morning breakfasts when the whole family gathers around the dining table filled with falafel, hummus , foul mudamas , pickles, sliced tomatoes. I can still hear the clattering and laughter.

As a child, I remember waking up very early on Friday so that we can go to one Amman’s famous hummus and falafel restaurants and avoid standing in long queues! You can easily prepare a falafel sandwiches by adding pickles and tahini salad to the falafel, some also add hummus and hot sauce. If you want to learn how to prepare yummy falafel Levantine style, follow these easy steps to prepare the tastiest homemade falafel! Falafel Recipe Guest post prepared and submitted by Sawsan Al-Kayed. Preparation time: 15 min Cook time: 40 min Ingredients: (amounts of salt/spices are outlined under method) ½ kilo dried chickpeas, soaked in water a day ahead 1 large onion 10 fresh coriander stems with leaves 10 fresh parsley stems with leaves Salt Sodium carbonate Vegetable oil (corn or canola or sunflower) for frying To make your own falafel spices: mix equal portions of cumin, dried coriander, ground black pepper and paprika. How to make falafel: Soak the dried chickpeas in water for 12-15 hours.

Wash the parsley and coriander. Remove the leaves. Discard stems. Drain the chickpeas from the water and wash them. Add the fresh coriander and parsley leaves, onions, and garlic to the chickpeas. Mix. Put the chickpeas mixture in the food processor and pulse until you have a smooth paste. Since the portion is large, you may have to do this in portions. When I finish pulsing all the chickpeas, I repeat the process and pulse them again to ensure I get the smoothest paste possible. Note: At this step divide the quantity in zip-lock bags, put 700 grams in each bag. Freeze the excess bags for later use. To the 700 grams of ground chickpeas, add one tablespoon Falafel spices, ½ teaspoon cumin, and ½ teaspoon dry coriander. Add salt to taste (I add about one teaspoon salt). Heat oil for frying. There must be enough oil in the pan for deep frying. Before frying the falafel (while the oil is heating) add one teaspoon of sodium carbonate to the chickpea paste. Form falafel mini burgers.

Fry falafel in hot oil on medium heat. Hope you enjoyed today’s easy recipe: Falafel; an authentic Middle Eastern dish. Bon appetite. Note: you can prepare falafel using 250 grams of chickpeas and 250 grams broad beans, but I find the falafel prepared with chickpeas alone lighter. What is your favorite way of eating falafel? اضغط الرابط لقراءة وصفة الفلافل باللغة العربية Sawsan Al-Kayed: I am a cook addict who loves to prepare Arabic and Middle Eastern dishes especially the old traditional dishes. My love of cooking started at an early age; I always helped my mother in the kitchen and learned a lot from her. The first dish I cooked was for my dad when I was 10 years old. Even when I was a full-time bank employee, I found refuge in my kitchen and always read the latest cookbooks and watched the cooking channels. I believe that if you love cooking, you’ll find it easy and fun. Like this Recipe? Please share with friends...

Falafel - Traditional Recipe for Chickpea Falafel Falafel (271) Falafel is a traditionally Arab food. The word falafel may descend from the Arabic word falāfil, a plural of the word filfil, meaning “pepper.” These fried vegetarian fritters are often served along with hummus , and tahini sauce (known as a “falafel plate.”) They’re also great served with toum , a Middle Eastern garlic sauce. So just what is the history of this tasty little fritter? According to The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food by Gil Marks, “The first known appearance of legume fritters (aka falafel) in the Middle East appears to be in Egypt, where they were made from dried white fava beans (ful nabed) and called tamiya/ta-amia (from the Arabic for ‘nourishment’); these fritters were a light green color inside. Many attribute tamiya to the Copts of Egypt, who practiced one of the earliest forms of Christianity.

They believed that the original state of humankind was vegetarian and, therefore, mandated numerous days of eating only vegan food, including tamiya.” When falafel is made the traditional way, is indeed a vegan food; it’s a great source of protein for people who have cut meat out of their diet. It’s relatively low in fat and has no cholesterol if you fry it in heart-healthy grapeseed oil. And if you top it with veggies in a pita, it becomes a filling and nourishing meal! Sure beats a Big Mac, if you ask me. In Israel, falafel has been adopted from Arab cuisine and the most popular form, made with chickpeas, is wildly popular. Falafel stands are as numerous and plentiful in Israel as McDonalds here in the U.S. If only we had half as many falafel stands in the U.S. as we do McDonalds, I’d be a very happy girl. It’s a delicious form of fast food that is much lighter and better for your heart than burgers and fries. The idea of stuffing falafel into pita pockets is actually an invention of Yemenite Jewish immigrants to Israel.

The introduction of falafel pita sandwiches made falafel portable, which expanded its popularity and made it into the number one “fast food” in Israel. On my trip to Israel this past summer, one of the last food stops we made was for a falafel pita. I asked our friend Hagai to take us to his favorite falafel restaurant; he took us to Mana Mana on Yehuda Hamaccabi street in Tel Aviv. At that time, it was run by a three-generation family—grandfather, father, and son. The young son ran the cash register with the confidence and authority of a 40 year-old. Apparently the restaurant has changed management since then, so I can’t vouch for the food now, but at the time they made a truly delicious falafel—crispy on the outside, hot and fluffy on the inside, with fresh toppings grown on local kibbutzim. Here’s my favorite way to make a falafel pita: start with a layer of hummus deep inside the pocket, then add the falafel, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. Top with a thin layer of tahini sauce. Oy, I’m making myself hungry!

🙂 Here is my recipe for falafel, along with a few variations you can try. Falafel was originally made with fava beans and continues to be made that way in Egypt and other Arab countries, but Israeli falafel is made from chickpeas. This is because many Jews have a medical deficiency called G6PD, which is a hereditary enzymatic deficiency that can be triggered by fava beans. I have included an Egyptian falafel recipe variation at the end of the blog if you’d like to try making it that way. It’s greener and spicier than the Classic Falafel. You will need to soak dried chickpeas overnight for your falafel to turn out right; canned beans are too tender and contain too much moisture to achieve the right consistency. Don’t cook the beans, because this will result in a mushier and denser falafel, which is not the proper texture. I’ve also included instructions for constructing your own falafel pita. As they say in Israel, Bete’avon! Recommended Products: Falafel Scoop Affiliate links help to support my website and the free recipe content I provide.

A percentage of any purchase you make via these links will go towards buying ingredients, photography supplies and server space, as well as all the other expenses involved in running a large cooking website. Thank you very much for browsing! (271) Ingredients 1 pound (about 2 cups) dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans - you must start with dry, do NOT substitute canned, they will not work! 1 small onion, roughly chopped 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 3-5 cloves garlic (I prefer roasted) 1 1/2 tbsp flour Vegetable oil for frying (grapeseed, canola, and peanut oil work well) You will also need Servings: 30-34 falafels Kosher Key: Pareve Pour the chickpeas into a large bowl and cover them by about 3 inches of cold water. Let them soak overnight. They will double in size as they soak – you will have between 4 and 5 cups of beans after soaking. Drain and rinse the garbanzo beans well.

Pour them into your food processor along with the chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, flour, salt, cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and cardamom. Pulse all ingredients together until a rough, coarse meal forms. Scrape the sides of the processor periodically and push the mixture down the sides. Process till the mixture is somewhere between the texture of couscous and a paste. You want the mixture to hold together, and a more paste-like consistency will help with that... but don't overprocess, you don't want it turning into hummus! Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency, pour it out into a bowl and use a fork to stir; this will make the texture more even throughout. Remove any large chickpea chunks that the processor missed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Note: Some people like to add baking soda to the mix to lighten up the texture inside of the falafel balls. I don’t usually add it, since the falafel is generally pretty fluffy on its own.

If you would like to add it, dissolve 2 tsp of baking soda in 1 tbsp of water and mix it into the falafel mixture after it has been refrigerated. Fill a skillet with vegetable oil to a depth of 1 ½ inches. I prefer to use cooking oil with a high smoke point, like grapeseed. Heat the oil slowly over medium heat. Meanwhile, form falafel mixture into round balls or slider-shaped patties using wet hands or a falafel scoop. I usually use about 2 tbsp of mixture per falafel. You can make them smaller or larger depending on your personal preference. The balls will stick together loosely at first, but will bind nicely once they begin to fry. Note: if the balls won't hold together, place the mixture back in the processor again and continue processing to make it more paste-like. Keep in mind that the balls will be delicate at first; if you can get them into the hot oil, they will bind together and stick. If they still won't hold together, you can try adding 2-3 tbsp of flour to the mixture. If they still won't hold, add 1-2 eggs to the mix. This should fix any issues you are having.

Before frying my first batch of falafel, I like to fry a test one in the center of the pan. If the oil is at the right temperature, it will take 2-3 minutes per side to brown (5-6 minutes total). If it browns faster than that, your oil is too hot and your falafels will not be fully cooked in the center. Cool the oil down slightly and try again. When the oil is at the right temperature, fry the falafels in batches of 5-6 at a time till golden brown on both sides. Once the falafels are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon. Let them drain on paper towels. Serve the falafels fresh and hot; they go best with a plate of hummus and topped with creamy tahini sauce. You can also stuff them into a pita. Troubleshooting: If your falafel is too hard/too crunchy on the outside, there are two possible reasons-- 1) you didn't process the mixture enough-- return the chickpea mixture to the processor to make it more paste-like. 2) the chickpeas you used were old.

Try buying a fresher batch of dried chickpeas next time. SESAME FALAFEL VARIATION: After forming the balls or patties, dip them in sesame seeds prior to frying. This will make the falafel coating crunchier and give it a slightly nutty flavor. HERB FALAFEL VARIATION (GREEN FALAFEL): Add ½ cup additional chopped green parsley, or cilantro, or a mixture of the two prior to blending. TURMERIC FALAFEL (YELLOW FALAFEL): Add ¾ tsp turmeric to the food processor prior to blending. EGYPTIAN FALAFEL: Use 1 lb. dried fava beans instead of chickpeas; cover them with cold water, soak them for at least 24 hours, then drain, rinse and peel them. You can also use a mixture of fava beans and chickpeas if you wish; just make sure the weight of the dried beans adds up to 1 lb.

After the beans are soaked and rinsed, add the Classic Falafel ingredients to the processor along with the following ingredients – 1 leek, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered; ¼ cup chopped dill; ¼ cup chopped cilantro; and an additional ¾ tsp cayenne pepper. When mixture is processed to a coarse meal, pour into a bowl. Stir 2 ½ tbsp sesame seeds into the mixture with a fork until it’s evenly dispersed throughout the mixture. Refrigerate and proceed with frying. If mixture seems too “wet” when making the falafel balls, add additional flour by the teaspoonful until the mixture sticks together better. Continue with frying. HOW TO MAKE A FALAFEL PITA: Making a falafel pita is actually really simple. The two main ingredients are pita bread and falafel. Cut the pita bread in half to form two “pockets.” Each pocket is a serving size. Stuff the pocket with falafel, as well as any add-ons you fancy.

Here are some traditional add-ons that can be added to your pita; these are the ingredients most widely available at falafel stands throughout Israel: Tahini sauce Falafel - Healthy Middle Eastern Hamburgers | Vegetarian Journal | Vegetarian Resource Group Falafel - Healthy Middle Eastern Hamburgers Capture the West By Habeeb Salloum Not many walking by today's falafel stands know that this dish, mostly consumed as a fast food, has a history dating back to the days of the pharaohs. Falafel were probably first prepared in ancient Egypt; from that era, they have remained that country's national food. Today, this vegetarian dish par excellence is so much a staple food in Egypt that its name, ta'miyya, is the Arabic word for “nourishment,” making Egypt the only country in the world where they are not known as falafel. Through the centuries, falafel spread from Egypt to neighboring countries. In ancient times, they were the ultimate snack food. Their mouth-watering aroma flowed from the cooking stalls in Aleppo, Damascus, Beirut, Jerusalem, and other Middle Eastern cities, begging to relieve the hunger pangs of passersby.

Over the last few decades, falafel have become a food consumed worldwide. Emigration to the West has brought with it a number of the Arab and Middle Eastern dishes, perhaps the most important of these being the falafel sandwich. In North America, consumption of these croquettes is fast spreading throughout large urban centers. Known as “the hamburgers of the Middle East,” falafel are beginning to compete with meat counterparts in the fast food arena and often bypassing them as a much healthier alternative. To a vegetarian, they are a godsend. What Are Falafel? Traditional falafel patties or balls are spicy, deep-fried, bean-based foods that get their name from the Arabic word fulful, meaning “pepper.” Their basic ingredient is ground broad beans, chickpeas, or a combination of both. They are tasty, inexpensive, rich in protein and carbohydrates, and high in calories. They make equally satisfying main courses and light snacks. Falafel are traditionally crushed onto bread or added whole into a pocket of pita bread as a sandwich; most commonly, the term ‘falafel’ refers to the sandwich.

Typically, the hot-off-the-fire falafel are tucked into pita bread with sauces and vegetables. These sandwiches also usually include a few Tablespoons of tahini (sesame seed paste) salad or a salad made from tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, parsley, and fresh coriander. At times, hot sauce, slices of radishes and tomatoes, lettuce leaves, and pickles are added to produce gourmet sandwiches. Consumed in any fashion, these ancient hamburgers epitomize vegetarian dishes. In the Middle East, both the patties and balls are also served as hors d'oeuvres, side dishes, main courses, and snacks  always with a bowl of tahini sauce for dipping. During Ramadan (the ninth month of the Muslim calendar), falafel are often eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset. Making Falafel The simplest method of making falafel is to purchase a ready-made powder from a Middle Eastern market or a health foods store. The directions on the package are usually easy to follow. However, the versions prepared from the powdered mixes cannot compare with those made by cooks in their own kitchens.

When making falafel, it is very important that the ingredients be rather dry; otherwise they will break up when fried or baked. After the beans are drained, they should, along with the onions and garlic, be dried on paper towels or in a strainer. Then, they should be ground until they become doughlike. Although not common, falafel can be made from products other than broad beans and chickpeas then either fried or baked. When fried, falafel are delicious but not very healthful. On the other hand, they become a healthful and wholesome vegetarian food after a stint in the oven. When baking falafel, add an extra teaspoon of baking powder to the recipe. Then, preheat an oven to 400 degrees, place the patties or balls in a well-greased baking pan, and bake for 30 minutes or until slightly brown. All the following falafel recipes make approximately 50 patties that are two inches in diameter, and three patties would make a sufficient serving for a sandwich. Molds to make falafel patties are available at Middle Eastern stores, or you can form them into balls and flatten them into patties.

The recipes will make approximately 100 falafel balls, which are smaller than the patties and are usually served as appetizers along with drinks. If serving the falafel in this form, six balls would constitute one serving. Tahini Salad Goes well with all types of falafel. 2 medium tomatoes, diced into ¼-inch cubes 1 medium cucumber (approximately 6 inches), diced into ¼-inch cubes ½ cup finely chopped scallions 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 2 cloves garlic, crushed 4 Tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste) &frac13; cup water A second teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak broad beans in water for 24 hours. Drain and shell beans by opening each bean's casing at the seam. Discard casings. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Make sure the beans are very well ground. Allow paste to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls.

If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. If recipe is baked: A second teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak chickpeas in water for 24 hours and drain. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Make sure the chickpeas are very well ground. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil.

Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. If recipe is baked: A second teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak beans in water for 24 hours and drain. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Make sure the beans are very well ground. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once.

If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. If recipe is baked: Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak soybeans in water for 24 hours and drain. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Make sure the soybeans are very well ground. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep.

Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. If recipe is baked: 1 teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course.

If recipe is baked: A second teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak beans in water for 24 hours and drain. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Make sure the lentils are very well ground. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course.

If recipe is baked: A second teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak cornmeal in water overnight. Press water out by hand to drain. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. If recipe is baked: 1 teaspoon baking powder, if baking Vegetable oil spray for baking or vegetable oil for frying Soak bulgar in water for 20 minutes.

Press water out through a strainer. Place all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor and process into a smooth paste. Allow to stand for 2 hours. Form paste into patties or, if to be served as hors d'oeuvres, into small balls. If baking, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking pan with oil. Space the patties or balls somewhat apart in the pan and bake for 30 minutes or until they turn slightly brown, turning once. If frying, pour enough oil into a saucepan so that the oil is 2 to 4 inches deep. Deep fry patties or balls over medium-high heat until they turn light golden brown, turning them over once if needed. Drain falafel on paper towels. Serve falafel with Tahini Salad as appetizers, in sandwiches, as a side dish, or as a main course. Note: If paste is a little soft, add more flour.

If recipe is baked: Baked Falafel Recipe - Allrecipes.com Rock_lobster 9/20/2010 I was skeptical of how "runny" the mixture was when I was forming it into patties, only b/c I've always made falafel w/ at least 1/3 c. breadcrumbs (as opposed to a mere 1 TB flour), but Shazam!... Lilichka 1/10/2010 Absolutely loved it! Very easy recipe. To cut down on fat, I did not brown them. I spooned then into the oiled baking sheet, sprayed with a cooking spray, just like cookies, then baked them abou... Lauren Chang 3/5/2012 After making this many times I've settled on the following changes, which I highly recommend: 1) Pulse half an onion and several cloves of garlic in a food processor, then sauté until the onions... Alex 5/26/2010 Really good! It was our first time eating falafel, and we really enjoyed it.

My dad watched me mixing up the chickpea mush and was not impressed at all with what I was serving (he's pretty skept... sueb 12/10/2009 Easy to make, very flavorful! I didn't bake these, I just continued cooking in the frying pan. I used whole wheat flour instead of the all purpose flour. elisaveth 2/10/2010 Perhaps I am accustommed to authentic Middle Eastern food, but these were not flavorful enough for me. I liked the idea of using fresh chickpeas, but next time I will double the onion and season... Damon 1/17/2010 Easy and delicious! I used less oil than recommended and it came out fine. I also added some fresh cilantro- excellent. I've found that you can saute and chop up pretty much any veggies you have... Lish 2/12/2010 This recipe is absolutely delicious. I did use Whole Wheat flour in stead of all-purpose. Just made me feel better :) I thought this recipe was so flavorful. I warmed mini pitas in the toaster. ...

Corinne 9/5/2010 I love falafel, but have always been too intimated to make it from scratch. This is totally approachable and totally yummy. The baking was a great way to cut the fat, but the quick pan fry kept ... Falafel, Home made falafel, Masala Vada Style Falafel | • Maida/all purpose flour 3 tablespoons. How to make the recipe: Grind all the ingredients to a coarse form without water. Heat oil in a Kadai for frying. Once the oil gets heated enough for frying, make patties out of the coarse mixture amp; fry them just like Vadas. Serve Falafel as an appetizer or as a evening snack. Cooking with images Articles Middle Eastern cuisine is the dishes of the several countries and peoples from the Middle East. The food of the area is varied while having a level of homogeneity. It provides Arab cuisine, Kurdish cuisine, Armenian cuisine, Persian cuisine, Israeli cuisine, Georgian cuisine, Azerbaijani cuisine and Turkish cuisine. Some popular ingredients consist of olives and olive oil, honey, sesame seeds, dates, chickpeas, mint and parsley.

Some favorite recipes consist of Kebabs, Dolma, and Doner Kebab. The region has also been affected by dumplings from Mongol intruders; turmeric, cumin, garlic along with other spices from India; cloves, pepper corns and all spice through the Spice Islands; okra (bhendi) from Africa; and tomatoes through the New World, through Moors of Spain. Religion has additionally affected the delicacies; none of Jews and Muslims eat pork, making lamb the main meat. Loaded veggies are a food most linked to the Middle East inside the well-liked thoughts. They're generally known as dolma, the Turkish word which means "filled," and also the Arabic mahshi. Grape leaves, and cabbage are filled with rice, ground meat, pine nuts, and seasonings, after which stewed in oil and tomato. Several veggies are in the same way loaded and stewed or baked, including squash, onion, tomato, eggplant, peppers, as well as carrots. Mezze is typical through the Middle East.

It includes a variety of small dishes which are picked at pleasurable: cheese, melon, nuts, a variety of salads and dips, like tabbouleh, hummus and mutabbal, pickles, as well as more substantial things, for example grilled meat, kibbeh, and sausage. Arabs usually consume milk, fresh or soured. Yogurt, a Turkish factor, is often consumed plain, utilized in cooking, found in salad dressing, or diluted like a drink. White cheeses, such as the Greek feta and haloumi, are the most frequent in the area. Pleasantness is core to Middle Eastern tradition and lots of home cooks spend a long time, often days, planning a remarkable spread of dishes for family feasts. Grains play an important and flexible role within the diet. Dairy staples consist of labna and haloumi, though lentils, veggies and meats also are generally eaten. When considering sweet, it is an instance of the sweeter the better. Nuts, fruit and aromatic floral notes can also be loved, as are visible in the French-Middle Eastern fusion sweet rhubarb, pistachio and orange blossom frangipane sour with rhubarb syrup.

Baked Sweet Potato Falafel with Cilantro, Spinach & Parsley (Vegan & Gluten-free) | mideats.com Baked Sweet Potato Falafel with Cilantro, Spinach & Parsley (Vegan & Gluten-free) March 14, 2012 Heba Gluten-Free , Kid-Friendly , Legume , Lunch , Spinach , Vegan , Vegetable , Vegetarian 1 Even if you think you know nothing about Middle Eastern food, you probably still know something — because unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of falafel. Yes, they’re always vegetarian and made out of some kind of beans. Middle Easterners argue amongst themselves about which legume is the star of a falafel dish: Egyptians, the creators of this age-old recipe, use fava beans to make theirs, and they call it something else entirely, ta’ameya . Actually, a friend recently pointed out to me that the word falafel is in the Coptic dictionary ; it means ‘beans’. So, let’s give credit where credit is due – the Egyptians knew how to turn beans into burger-like patties way before veganism became a Western fad!

While fava beans are the main ingredient in the Egyptian version, most other Middle Easterners use chickpeas (garbanzo beans) to make falafel. Given the choice between the two, I’d choose the homemade one. Yeah, I don’t discriminate between Middle Easterners but I do have a strong preference for all things made at home, using good ingredients. (The alternative, ready-made falafel, often contains questionable ingredients that will leave your stomach feeling less than comfortable, and will never contain fresh veggies.) Since I fast from animal products during Lent, I like to get a bit creative with my vegan meals. Instead of making a typical falafel mix, I wanted to get a little crazy and add in a whole bunch of vegetables. And sweet potatoes. Don’t ask me why, but I am a fan of sneaking in ingredients you wouldn’t expect into traditional meals. I Googled it make sure I’m not too crazy, and sure enough, there was a recipe for baked sweet potato falafel on 101 Cookbooks . Using that as a guide, I kind of experimented with adding the other greens in there.

Fresh cilantro is a must in this recipe, given that even traditional ta’ameya has it; the flavor it imparts just can’t be replicated by any other green veggie. A large bunch of organic parsley and baby spinach leaves were chillin’ in my fridge, so thought of adding them too. The chickpea flour bag (1.5 lbs) was only $2.65 from Vitacost , so I made that purchase a couple of weeks ago, knowing I was going to try my luck with a chickpea-based falafel mix. However, after making the purchase, I realized that it might be a little difficult to soak the chickpea flour , since it’ll get watery … and I didn’t quite know how this will impact the consistency of the mixture. I didn’t want falafel-flavored soup, after all! I could have easily omitted the soaking process , but my stomach doesn’t do very well with unsoaked beans and legumes, so I decided to soak the flour anyway. When I first added water to cover the cup or so of chickpea flour, my heart sank, because it looked like a soupy mess — how would I ever separate the water from the flour?

Well, let me tell you the secret. It’s called gravity. Overnight, the flour settles to the bottom and the water can easily be poured from the top. Then, you can use a nut milk bag to strain any water left in the flour if you wish. Easy breezy! If you wanted to grind your own chickpeas, you can do that too, but I haven’t tried yet to see if there’s any difference in texture. You’d still have to soak the dried chickpeas in acidic water overnight , rinse them well the next day, and boil for a few hours until they’ve cooked . You’d then have to drain them very well to get rid of as much moisture as possible, and grind them into paste, a la a traditional hummus recipe . Other key ingredients in this recipe are the spices (the cumin and coriander are musts), the minced garlic and the toasted sesame seeds. I don’t think this recipe would work very well if you choose to omit any of these, especially the garlic and sesame seeds.

The unmistakably garlicky background taste takes this recipe from good to great, and the toasted sesame seeds officially convert these from ‘veggie-burger-like patties’ to traditional falafel with a twist. I ended up making this mixture yesterday, using half of it, and refrigerating the rest for today (it served 4 people each day, by the way). This setup worked out perfectly, because today was a busy day for me! I made this alongside a vegan curried cauliflower coconut soup , a huge salad with tahini sauce , and guacamole, and I was satisfied. And that’s a rarity, my friends, because vegan meals usually get me hungry just a couple of hours later. This time, I was happily stuffed for the rest of the day! I must say – these turned out much better than I expected! Baked Sweet Potato Falafel with Cilantro, Spinach & Parsley by Heba

Question: The Middle Eastern dish falafel or felafel usually contains onions, parsley, coriander and what main ingredient?
Answer: Chickpeas