This Truly Authentic Falafel Recipe Has a Secret (2024)

FAQs

What is a traditional falafel made of? ›

Falafel are deep-fried balls or patties made from chickpeas or fava beans, sometimes both, plus fresh herbs and spices. Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern street food sold from vendors or fast-casual spots in countries such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel, where it's the national dish.

Baking soda and powder: Baking soda breaks down and softens the chickpeas as they soak. Baking powder, mixed in just before baking, makes the falafel light and airy. Fresh herbs: The tender leaves of parsley, dill, and cilantro bring fresh, herbal flavor and color.

The original Egyptian dish was made with fava beans; as falafel moved northward, cooks substituted chickpeas. Until recently, Israel's most notable contribution to its evolution has been to cram novel accompaniments, from shredded beets to French fries, into falafel sandwiches.

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.

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.

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.

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).

If the oil is too hot, the falafel will cook too quickly and become soft, while if the oil is not hot enough, the falafel will absorb too much oil and become greasy. Cook until crispy: Fry the falafel until they are crispy and golden brown on the outside, which will help to maintain a firm texture on the inside.

Some folks add baking powder to the mix instead, which is a combination of an acid and a base; but baking powder is overall slightly basic, so it has a similar effect on chickpeas (if this makes you go “wait, how?!”, scroll down to the note on baking powder that's above the falafel recipe).

Traditionally, the best countries to enjoy falafel can be found in the Levant, from the Middle East to Northern Africa. Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine are great foodie destinations with world-class falafel in every other corner.

What is Lebanese falafel made of? ›

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.

Turkish and Arab traders likely brought the dish westward into the Middle East. The first instance of frying dough made from dried beans was recorded as a meal in Medieval Egypt, where it was enjoyed by Copts, a Christian ethnic group who at times rejected meat and adhered to a vegan diet.

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

Historically, early versions of falafel were made with fava beans (and even earlier versions were made of lentils). Consequently, fava beans are still the falafel “legume of choice” in Egypt and other Arab countries. On the other hand, Israeli falafel is almost universally made from chickpeas.

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.

Historically, early versions of falafel were made with fava beans (and even earlier versions were made of lentils). Consequently, fava beans are still the falafel “legume of choice” in Egypt and other Arab countries. On the other hand, Israeli falafel is almost universally made from chickpeas.

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.

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.

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).