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47.8%ANMag Issue 26 Entertainment
Falafel: Hot Dog of the Middle East
By Zeenat Mukhi, Contributing Writer
Beirut, Lebanon − Falafel, plural of the Arabic word “filfil”, meaning pepper, is a fried ball or pasty of spiced chick peas (also known as garbanzo beans) combined with spices. The comparison with falafel and hot dogs has more to do with their shared roll as an everywhere street food than taste or quality. Unlike hot dogs, they are very nutritious and include both high-quality protein and vegetables.
In some areas, some or all of the chick peas are replaced with fava beans. Lebanese falafel often uses a combination of fava beans and chick peas, while in Egypt; it is traditional to use just fava beans. Shape also varies by region. Falafel is commonly served in pocket or roll of flat bread with fresh vegetable like lettuce, tomato, parsley … and tarator sauce.
In order to prepare falafel, here is what you need. This following recipe serves between four to six people.
- 1 cup dried broad beans
- 1 cup dried chick peas
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4 cloves of garlic crushed
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbs ground cumin
- 1 onion chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 tsp mixed spices
- Salt & pepper
First of all, you need to soak the beans and the chick peas in water and bicarbonate of soda overnight or for 24 hours. The next day, you drain the mixture and place it in a pan with fresh water and let it boil for around five minutes, then cool it for fifteen minutes in order to put it with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor, and blend it till you get soft dough-like mixture. When the blending is done, keep the mixture in the fridge for an hour before use. Divide it and shape the mixture into small ping-pong-sized balls. Flatten them with your hand and then deep fry in hot oil till the color becomes golden brown. Serve warm, rolled in pita bread, with salad and tarator on the side.
If you would like to enjoy it with its dressing, tarator, check the following recipe. It serves three to four people.
- 1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
- 2 - 3 tbs. lemon juice
- 2 - 3 tbs. water
- 5g parsley (chopped)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 clove crushed garlic (optional)
In order to prepare the dressing, you simply have to mix all the above ingredients together and keep stirring them till you get a nice smooth sauce and add the chopped parsley.
Sahten (bon appétit)
From ANMag
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falafel
http://www.lebaneserecipes.com/Tarator.htm
http://www.lebaneserecipes.com/Falafel.htm