Falafel

Falafel is an all-time favorite street food recipe that is made all over the world and is popular not only in the Middle East but also in many other countries. Falafel is a Middle Eastern food that’s made with legumes that are stir-fried with herbs and spices and fried until crispy golden brown on the outside and tender in the middle.

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Here are a few other Middle Eastern Recipes that you can make and enjoy with falafel – Chickpea Hummus and The Best Creamy Tahini Sauce Recipe.

About Falafel Recipe

The falafel recipe I am sharing with you is as authentic and delicious as you would find on the streets of the middle east, and is also much simpler to make than you think!

Falafel is a fried snack made with chickpeas or beans, spices & herbs. Falafel is naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, and high in protein. It is extremely popular worldwide. It works well for people on a meat-free diet. To make this dish, chickpeas are soaked overnight or for a few hours, then ground into a coarse paste along with garlic and fresh herbs such as cilantro and coriander.

Chickpea balls used to be deep-fried, but nowadays they can be made without deep frying to make them healthier.

In place of chickpeas and other legumes such as asparagus, peas, or even foreign beans, falafel can only be refined with freshly sliced vegetables. Simply add fresh vegetables to falafel and season with salt and pepper.

These falafels also freeze well, so they’re great for salads and pita sandwiches.

Falafel was invented with fava beans, and it is still made that way in Egypt and other Arab countries; however, in Israel, falafel is typically made using chickpeas.

I thought making homemade falafel would be a difficult task, but believe me, it’s so easy! Because it is vegan, it is also very popular among vegetarians and vegans.

This dish is,

• Vegan
• Super crispy
• Gluten-Free
• Rich in Protein
• Tasty
• Perfect for healthy meals

What Is Falafel?

The word falafel may have developed from the Arabic word falfil, a plural of the word filfil, meaning “pepper.” Traditionally prepared with chickpeas and herbs, falafel is typically served with pita, sandwiches, and salads. Falafel is an entree made with legumes (usually chickpeas or fava beans) and herbs, spices, and then deep-fried until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

Fried vegetarian fritters often served with hummus and tahini (known as a “falafel plate.”) They’re also wonderful served with toum, a Middle East garlic sauce.

Falafel remains Egypt’s most popular fast food, and it is found from street vendors in almost every neighborhood. It’s usually cut into sandwiches with lots of Mediterranean salad and generous drizzles of tahini, along with slices of roasted or fried eggplant. 

The key to good falafel is good ingredients, so buy high-quality spices like cumin and coriander. To learn more about how to make a great falafel, read on.

Ingredients

Chickpeas – Only use dried, soaked chickpeas in this recipe. Canned chickpeas will not hold their shape and are too soft and wet.

Onions – For a stronger flavor, I use white onion, although you could use yellow or red onion as well.

Mint and Cilantro – These two delicious herbs give your falafel a lot of flavors and make it look vibrant and beautiful. You can use parsley too.

Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves are more flavorful than garlic powder.

Green Chilly – This adds a punch of flavor to falafel without overpowering it. You can adjust the quantity but don’t omit it without trying it first – trust me. It’s optional.

Spices – Cumin powder, Salt gives earthly flavor.

Baking Soda – Essential for creating the fluffy inside texture of the falafel.

Oil – For deep-frying. Pan-frying is also an option, but they won’t look as crisp as the deep-fried ones. 

All-Purpose Flour/Chickpea Flour – This helps to hold the mixture together and keep it from crumbling while frying. You can use chickpea flour too.

Check the Falafel Recipe Video :

How to make falafel recipe step by step with photo:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight then in the morning rinse them and then put them in a blender.

2. Add chopped onions, coriander left, mint leaves, garlic cloves, roasted cumin powder, salt to taste, baking soda. Blend into a coarse mixture. Add a little water if required. 

3. Transfer the mixture into a mixing bowl and add all-purpose flour and mix well. Now roll this mixture into medium-sized balls. 

4. Heat oil in a pan on medium flame and gently dip falafel balls one by one. Make sure you don’t crowd your pan.

5. Fry the falafel for about 4 to 5 minutes, until they are a nice deep brown.

6. Drain on paper towels. 

7. Serve hot with tahini sauce and hummus.

Important Suggestion To Keep In Mind

• To ensure the ideal texture and flavor, always try to use dry chickpeas that are soaked overnight.
• Falafel is best golden, not charred. Make sure you don’t overheat your oil. If you do, the outside will cook too fast before the inside heats up.
• The falafel is very fragile, but they should hold together and remain in shape while cooking. 
• When making falafel, you can freeze the dough before cooking it. Thaw the mixture after freezing, stir it, then form it into balls or patties and fry it. Cooked falafel doesn’t store well because the outside becomes too soft.
• 3 cups of soaked chickpeas = 1 cup of dried chickpeas
• Falafel should be crunchy and medium brown on the outside and fluffy and light green on the inside.

Serving Suggestions

The dish is extremely versatile. As an appetizer, you can serve it with a middle eastern dip such as Hummus or Tahini dip. This is a pretty versatile dish. Salad with chopped veggies and tahini dressing, topped with falafel, makes a delicious lunch or dinner. 

You can combine Falafel in Pita pockets with tomato slices, greens, onions, and hummus to make a mouthwatering sandwich.

Falafel is delicious served warm in pita bread, wrapped in lettuce or collards, or topped with a simple green salad. But however you serve them, make sure to drizzle them with Tahini. It’s incredibly creamy and flavorful!

Make a Mezze platter with these to include Hummus, Tzatziki, Baba Ganoush, toasted Pita bread, and pickled cucumber.

Falafel pita consists of two main ingredients: pita bread and falafel. Fill the two pita bread pockets with falafel and any additional toppings of your choice. Split the pita bread in half to make two pockets.

The fried eggplant can be served with a creamy tahini sauce or fresh and hot, in which case, it can also be topped with fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, garlic, and thyme.

Storage Suggestions

Cooked Falafel or the falafel mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

Falafel freezes well. You can make them in advance, bake them for 15 minutes at 180 degrees C, cool them completely, and then put them in an airtight ziplock bag or an airtight container and store them for 2 to 3 months.

Once you want to use them again, take them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature so they can be deep-fried.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many ways can we cook falafel?

Fry Falafel in vegetable Oil: Heat 3 inches of oil to 350F and add 3-4 falafel balls to the pot. Deep-Fry on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes till they are golden brown.

Pan Fry Falafel: Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in the pan. Place each falafel gently in the pan and gently fry each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden, then transfer each to a paper towel-lined plate.

Baking Falafel: Preheat your oven to 425F. Spray or brush a baking sheet lightly with oil. Spray or brush falafels lightly with oil on the baking sheet, and then bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through.

Alternatively, you may bake them without oil using parchment paper or a silicone mat. However, they will be a little less crispy and golden. 

Which will be better to make the mixture of falafel blender or food processor?

The idea is to pulse the ingredients to a coarse paste. You may do that in a chopper or even in the pulse mode of your mixer and grinder.

Can canned chickpeas be used to make falafel?

You shouldn’t use canned chickpeas because they are cooked and we need dry chickpeas for the perfect texture. Additionally, canned chickpeas are more likely to crumble in hot oil.

How can Paniyaram Pan be used to make these?

Paniyaram Pan is a healthy alternative to deep-fried Falafel and Paniyaram Falafel is pan-fried. Add oil to the Paniyaram Pan cavity. Once the oil is heating, add falafel to the cavity and allow it to cook. Once the bottom is crisp and cooked, turn the falafel over. Add oil to the top.

Cook until the Falafel is cooked thoroughly and turns crisp from the outside.

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Note: A rough estimate of nutrition is provided.

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