Falafel
I preached at church this morning and feel exhausted afterward. I joked up there that being shy isn't one of my issues (clearly), so I don't think I'm tired from stress. Probably from communicating in the gung-ho way I generally do. Restraint and subtlety have never been my strong suites. And still, eyes droopy, I'm here to talk about food, which is surely a sign of my food-always-on-the-brain disorder.
My friend Priya, most loyal In Praise of Leftovers fan, said I should consider NOT posting so many bean recipes in a row. Though I make a living teaching people how to give and receive feedback, I'm going to ignore hers. She's right--BORING!--but this blog goes how my life goes, so you'll have to hang in there. And didn't we just have a week of chocolate? I suppose there are some bloggers who might alternate beans and chocolate like a string of beads, but they are kinder, better people.
We ate these falafels 3 nights in a row last week, and they were perfect--crunchy and golden on the outside, fluffy and garlicky inside. One night, wrapped in warm pita. Another, in tortillas cause the pita was gone. And then I made little mini-burgers with them--smashed two falafels on a toasted roll slathered with mayo and some Sambal Oelek, added arugula, mint, and tomato from the garden. Lord, those were good. Then, my sister and her family happened to be here at lunchtime, and I used up the rest for them and promised the recipe.
In the early '80's, growing up in Bellingham, there was a falafel and frozen yogurt place our family went to. I have a feeling it was called Mulberry's--is that right, Mom? It was all hippie in there and right about the time it was becoming more mainstream to to eat carob and whole grains. (Thankfully, carob has fallen out of fashion and whole grains have stayed). My mom used to buy falafel mix from the co-op. Does this explain a lot about me? No cream of mushroom soup in my house.
Now, I love to go to University Avenue and re-live my college days, perched on a stool in one of those falafel shops, impossibly loud Middle Eastern music in the background. Those are good, but these are better.
Falafel
Adapted from Epicurious. Of course, I used dried chickpeas and soaked them overnight. I can't vouch for how they'd turn out if you use canned ones. I think if you do, just make sure they're not too wet when you add them. Rinse them, then drain really well. Also, you MUST refrigerate your mixture before forming them into balls. They'll fall apart otherwise.
I made a double batch of these--that's how we got four meals out of them! One batch makes about 20 fritters. If you're scared of deep-frying, I hear you. These are almost greaseless, though, and pretty hard to screw up. I have a candy thermometer, which I stuck in the oil to make sure it was around 350. If you don't have a thermometer, look for your falafel to sizzle when you throw it in, making a little ring of bubbles around it. They should take about two minutes per side. If they're getting dark before that, it means your oil is too hot. Test one before you do the whole batch.
1 cup dried chickpeas or 1 15 oz. can chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Possible accompaniments/garnishes:
Greens
Sliced tomato and cucumber
Feta cheese
Plain yogurt mixed with Tahina sauce, lemon juice, and salt
Greek olives
Warm pita bread
Chopped parsely
Hot sauce
Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of walnuts.
Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.
Serve with accompaniments on a platter, or make a salad or sandwiches.
September 20, 2009
Reader Comments (29)
This is a recipe I can totally get behind! Will be adding this to this week's menu at our house. Naomi will love them.
Yum! I'm over at Julia's using her computer to look up a recipe. We are both excited to try this recipe. I'm going to try grilling peppers with my oven broiler this week.
We've been back and forth today 3x dividing up our market veggies and swapping bowls and tupperware containers. What a gorgeous day. I feel like we live on one piece of property in two different urban farm houses. Pretty nice set up.
You're hilarious. Can't wait to hear more about your sermon.
xo.
Oh, I will SO be doing this tomorrow. Well, or the next day since the dried chickpeas need to soak overnight and I don't have any on hand. I was planning a different culinary exploit or two for the next few days, but this has suddenly become higher priority. Thanks for sharing!
Yes, Mulberry's sister!! Haven't thought of that since...well, forever! I don't know if I ever would have remembered if you hadn't mentioned it. Wow. Anyway, these were so good. Perfect right after church hunger relief! Thank you. I am sitting here in bed, meant to read the Bible, but am on my blackberry instead. Must make these. Yum. Hope your sermon went well. Xoxo. HM is excited to see her cousin tomorrow! Good night.
Falafels are one of my favorite snacks...right at the top of the list though, but I have never tried to make my own. You have inspired me to do so soon!!!
No cream-of-mushroom soup in the house? I always felt like those families were a step up from mine in the food department. Maybe that's not fair. But looking back... my dad was always very pleased to bring home as much "leftover" military field rations (MREs) as possible from his weekend as Army National Guard Chaplain.
God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our rations. Amen.
Of course, budget was an issue but there were other attitudes and challenges at play there.
There is no cream of mushroom in our house either.
Heaven! I adore falafel! Most scrumptious food ever, I think. And no way do I have cream of mushroom soup in my house. But my dad loves it.
to chris's dismay, we don't have any cream of mushroom soup in our house either. however, dried chickpeas just went on my grocery list. these look DIVINE!!!!
Wow! Your pics looks so much better on my monitor than on my phone!! So often I am reading your posts on my phone in the house and so I don't see your amazing shots on this big screen. I must remember to look at them here too!
Do you think you could make this with any GF flours? Like garbanzo/fava bean flour and brown rice flour? Or is it pretty well a wheat recipe? They look marvelous and I'm feeling hungry just looking at them! Wonderful pictures!
Hi Alecia! Yes, you could definitely try this with a GF flour. Since it's just a small amount used to hold it together, I think you'd have success. Go for it and tell us how they turn out!
That is some serious food porn you got going on there. I didn't think falafel could look sexy. Apparently it can.
Hey I have done that speaking gig before at church and it really does take it out of you :)
Those look really yummy!! I will have to try this and I have to say I am glad you posted another blog about beans because I seem to always forget this important food group as being one that gives a variety of nutrients. Seriously, I get so stuck in the "what I know" slot that is hard to get my brain to think elsewhere. Sympathetic vibes should go to my probably, BORED and malnourished family.
I must go now that I have rambled on so.
Ohhhhh, I've been waiting for this recipe. I LOVED eating these in Egypt!!!! But just like the Egyptian women I met, I don't have a food processor. What do I do?
That is the handsomest falafel I've ever laid eyes on. What a gorgeous hunk it is! I mustn't refrain.
I've been seduced.....and have I mentioned I'm thankful for your disorder, we all benefit from your FOAB disorder.
Not having cream of mushroom soup,in the pantry is definitely a genetic gene passed down from your mother's side, but that preaching gene comes straight from your father's side, and I'm sure you're as good at the preaching as you are at the cooking. Oh to have so many talents, and use them so well!
Thank you for posting this - I tried making falafel last week actually, and they turned into fried piles of hummus. Still tasty, somehow...not bad for a first attempt, but I'm definitely using this recipe on the next go-round.
I finally found some dried chick peas. I've been looking because I've been craving hummus and wanted to try your recipe but now I have another recipe to try as well. Love your writing as well as the recipes.
Felafel makes me weep I love them so much. But I have never made them. I hate to fry and I have been tempted to make oven baked ones, but I know they won't be as good. I say we have a cook sharing day. You can help me make felafel and I can help you do...I don't know...something. Bread?
Made these tonight. Things went horribly awry, but we ate them nonetheless. I made a triple batch, which was the right amount for us. Jason ate these things like crazy. So thrilled about that!
If those were so wrong, I don't want to be right. PDS is going to have to learn to stop apologizing for her cooking to me, the girl from cream-of-mushroom-soup land. Scratch that, it really should be from cream-of-CHICKEN-soup land. Cuz mushroom soup is kind of weird, don't ya know...
Ok, so here's my postmortem: I was having appliance failures, so there were chunks of onion and garlic. Next time (and there will be a next time) I'm going to either grate the onion in advance or whiz the onion, garlic, and herbs before adding the chickpeas. Next up, I didn't add enough flour so they ended up more mushy than fluffy. I don't think anyone minded because they were so tasty, but I knew, and that's what matters. In the end, the two meat-loving
boysmen of the house loved the meal and would eat it again.I just hate to hear stories of you working so hard and not being satisfied with the results! I have another friend/reader who's attempting these tonight, and I'm nervous for her. She doesn't have a food processor, so smashed all her chickpeas with the back of a knife! That's dedication. I am blessed with a brand new food processor that pulverizes things effortlessly. Without that, these would be more of a gamble. Sounds like they tasted divine, though.
Show me some juicy MEAT dishes, please?
Just a quick question. Is an egg not needed in the preparation? I plan on making these next week for my kids. Are they not terribly crumbly with the egg to stick-em-together?