How can I make GOOD falafel?

Question

I do tabouleh and hommus so well but just cant get the falafel happening.

Answer 1

Falafel with Fava Beans

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup dried, peeled fava beans
* 1/2 cup dried, peeled chickpeas
* 1 medium onion, finely chopped
* 2 tablespoons fresh parsely, stems removed and finely chopped
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 3/4 teaspoon cumin
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* oil for frying

PREPARATION:
Soak beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse. Preheat oil to 350 degrees. 2 inches of oil in a frying pan will suffice. I prefer to use vegetable or canola oil, but olive oil can be used also.

Place beans in food processor and blend.

Add reamining ingredients to form a thick paste-like consistency. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until desired consistency.

Remove falafel mixture from processor. Spoon falafel into hot oil by the tablespoon. Fry for about 2 minutes or until falfel is a golden brown color.

Serve falafel by itself, or with hot pita bread with veggies, hummus, or tahini sauce
---------------------------
FALAFEL - פלאפל - فلاف

+ tahini sauce

Serves 8 — may be frozen so a good idea is to separate into 4 batches suitable for servings for two, or any other combination you choose depending upon known numbers

What you’ll need: ingredients

1. 500 grams (16 oz) chick peas (tinned fine; fresh is best)
2. 500 grams broad beans (dry)
3. 1 bunch of fresh continental parsleybroad-beans.jpg
4. 1 bunch of fresh coriander
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 2 teaspoons salt (can be less if desired)
7. 1 teaspoon pepper
8. 1 teaspoon baking powder
9. Vegetable cooking oil (I always use olive but any good oil is fine)
10. For tahini: tahini paste, 1 lemon
11. For roll: Lebanese or lavash bread or pitta bread aka Middle Eastern flat bread
12. To add in roll: tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles (if desired)

The broad bean or fava bean

Optional: chilli, sumac, cumin
Equipment: food processor or blender, mixing bowl, colander or strainer, cutting board, frypan.
Instructions: falafel

1. Broadbeans and chickpeas should be soaked overnight or, if possible, for 24 hours prior to use. If you can manage the latter, change water of broadbeans up to 3 times.
2. Drain broadbeans and chickpeas for half an hour from excess water.
3. Wash and coarsely chop the continental (also known as flat) parsley and coriander (coarse chopping is fine as will be placed in blender/ food processor)
4. Place broadbeans, chickpeas, garlic, parsley and coriander in blender, adding salt, pepper and baking powder. Adding a touch of chilli and/ or cumin is optional.
5. Blend all to coarse texture akin to crunchy peanut butter (ie not too smooth or fine).


6. Place mixture from blender into bowl
7. Set aside desired amount of falafel batter and divide and freeze the rest.
8. Pre-heat shallow fry-pan with oil
9. Using palms, form falafel into balls slightly smaller than tennis ball size and flatten slightly into patties. A pattie maker (as shown in photograph) may be purchased from continental delis or other stores but is not necessary.
10. Place in hot pan and lightly fry til crispy brown on the outside. The outside ‘mantle’ will be crunchy; inside will still be soft, slightly moist and naturally colored, broadbean-light green.


Tahini sauce (serves two; simply double amounts for 4)

1. Mix a quarter cup tahini paste (tahini is 100% sesame seed paste), a quarter cup of water with juice of one lemon and a pinch of salt, adding water and lemon juice gradually. Finished result should be the texture of cream. Done!

Making your sandwich (may also be served on a plate)

1. After frying, prepare a leaf of round flat bread and place 3 to 4 falafel rolls in the middle of the bread, squashing slightly.
2. Add fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onion, pickles as desired. Homous is sometimes added either in place of or in addition to tahini, but I didn’t want to complicate it with a third recipe … Tabouli can also be added.
3. Drizzle tahini sauce over falafel and roll sandwich up.
4. Optional: Season with a sprinkle of sumac (deep red coloured Middle Eastern spice)

Bon Appetite!.

Answer 2

well, you have to no that Israelis have connections (but not strictly direct connections) with the Arabs, and some of them are really arabs. So its reasonable that some of them eat Hummos and Falafel, and so on. But its never an "Israeli!" food! its simply Arabian food. and for those talking about pizza and that food is international. There is a BIGGG Difference between western food and eastern food, so no food is not the same everywhere. Evey region has its own culture, specially when talking about food. Chinese food is totally different from British food which is totally different from Palestinian or Egyptian food.

Answer 3

Here are two recipes...

1 cup dried chickpeas or
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons flour
Salt
Pepper
Oil for frying
PREPARATION:
Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak overnight.
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.

OR

This recipe for falafel and cuts down on preparation time. Perfect for those who want an easier version of falafel.
INGREDIENTS:
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons flour
oil for frying (canola or vegetable)
PREPARATION:
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour and combine well.

Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor.

Answer 4

I don't know what even goes into making an awful falafel.

Answer 5

we are twinned here with nablus on the west bank and in the town centre there's a cafe that makes great falafel. i've never attempted it myself though.

Answer 6

Not on my oven