Falafel Recipe

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. 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
2 tsp baking soda added before frying
1/2 tsp baking powder

Preparation

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.

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