Middle Eastern Falafel Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the main ingredient of Middle Eastern falafel? ›

Falafel is made from fava beans or chickpeas, or a combination of both. Falafel is usually made with fava beans in Egyptian cuisine, where it most likely originated, with chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine, or just chickpeas or a combination of both in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and the wider Middle East.

There are three types of falafel--Traditional falafel, baked falafel and lemon falafel. “Where the traditional falafel is the basic fried falafel comprising a mix of chickpeas, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, baked falafels are made using fresh herbs in the chickpea mixture,” says Chef Sati from Ophelia.

Traditional falafel is made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, herbs and spices. The mixture is then formed into balls or patties and deep fried for a texture that's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sort of like a fritter.

If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

Egyptian Falafel is made with Fava beans, and Syrian Falafel, just like Israeli and Lebanese falafel is made with chick-peas. Jordanian/Palestinian Falafel is made the same way.

Testing showed the E. coli in the falafel was closely related to the bacteria found in case-patients meaning that after months of persistence, Michigan investigators had found the likely source of this multi-state outbreak, and a recall was issued.

Falafel was made popular in Israel by Yemeni Jews in the 1950s. They brought with them the chickpea version of the dish from Yemen and introduced the concept of serving falafel balls in pita bread. And the way the Israeli falafel is served is, in my opinion, the main reason why Israeli falafel is truly, well, Israeli.

Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.

Many Muslim and Jewish diners love falafels. Islamic and Jewish dietary laws enjoy a host of parallels. They share the ban on the consumption of pork and blood. They also put a great focus on maintaining cleanliness to ensure the purity of their food.

Why do falafel balls fall apart? ›

The moisture in the pre cooked beans make the falafels soggy and fall apart whereas frying the uncooked chickpeas makes them crispier.

Most middle eastern falafel is made with chickpea flour or soaked dried raw chickpeas, herbs (especially parsley), aromatics (onions and/or garlic), spices (e.g. cumin, coriander, red or green dried pepper, possibly cardamom, sumac, caraway, turmeric, pepper, etc.), baking powder, and salt, all ground together or ...

Baking soda — It may seem odd to add baking soda to a savory recipe, but it helps keeps the interior texture of the falafels fluffy.

If the chickpeas or other ingredients are stale or past their prime, the falafel may taste dull or have an unpleasant aftertaste.

They have to have enough fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion and your falafel will have a bad after taste. Too little and they won't be as moist and fluffy as they should be. It's all about balance.

Rice is a fundamental ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine, used in dishes like pilafs, biryanis and stuffed vegetables. It is commonly cooked with aromatic spices and served as a side dish or used as a base for meat or vegetable preparations.

Falafel is a Middle Eastern recipe that is basically mashed chickpeas with herbs and seasonings formed into patties and fried. It's a traditional food in Lebanon that's made with only a few ingredients and served plain with tahini sauce, hummus, or garlic sauce for dipping, or as a falafel sandwich or falafel wrap.

Ta'ameya (Egyptian falafel) is an all-time favorite street food in Egypt. In most parts of the Middle East, falafel is made with ground chickpeas. In Egypt however, we make it with dried fava beans. These are best served with pita bread, tomato, onions, and tahini sauce.