    
© Copyright 2009. All rights reserved and enforced.
Falafel
Falafel is made from made from cooked, ground, seasoned beans.
The ground beans are rolled into small balls or formed into patties which are then either pan-fried or deep-fried. When shaped into balls, the balls are usually 1 to 2 inches wide (2.5 to 5 cm). The cooked bean balls can be served on a plate with other items such as salad, or put into a pita bread with chopped vegetables such as lettuce and tomato to make a sandwich which is also called a Falafel. The Falafel sandwich is usually dressed with a sauce such as tahini or hummos.
In the West and in Israel, chickpeas are used. In Arab countries, the beans used are more likely to be fava beans. It is made with fava beans in Egypt and in Lebanon.
In the Mid-East, Falafel are sold everywhere, the way hamburgers or hot-dogs or pizza slices are sold in the West, except they are sold a great deal by street vendors. It is a matter of some dispute, though, as to where exactly Falafel is original to. In Israel, Falafel is called "Israel's National Snack", which annoys the Arabs to no end, who claim it as an Arab invention. In fact, it may actually have originated in Egypt as a pre-Arab dish, but you are safest to label Falafel as a Middle Eastern dish.
Cooking Tips
The two challenges in making Falafel lie in getting the consistency right, so that they don't fall apart on you, and in the cooking, so that they don't end up either raw and gloopy inside, or cooked so long they are burnt on the outside and hard as a rock on the inside.
You can buy mixes that you just add water to, but even those aren't fool proof. The mixes will usually have you add water then let them stand for 15 minutes to rehydrate before using.
Language Notes
Falafel comes from the Arabic word "falfil", meaning "pepper".
Also called:  Falfil
Felefel
Ta'maia
See Also
Hummos, Sesame Pastes
Other entries for Vegetable Dishes
Bouchées à la julienne, Cow-Itch Beans, Falafel, Laver Bread, Nishime, Oliva all'Ascolana, Sauerkraut, Succotash, Ukpo, Vegetable Timbales, Vichy Carrots
Other entries for Savoury Dishes
Alfredo Sauce, Béaltaine Caudle, Bouchées à la Bénédictine, Bouchées à la Périgourdine, Chop Suey, Curry, Darioles, Favetta, Fondue, French Fries, Koromo, Pancakes, Pies & Tarts, Pizza, Porridge, Relish Trays, Sandwiches, Soups, Spring Rolls, Sushi, Tenkas, Teriyaki, Timbales, TV Dinners, Yakimono, Zakuska
Other entries for Dishes
Desserts, Dumplings, Ozoni, Salads, Savoury Dishes, Zoni
Top...
| |
|