Palestinian Falafel

Falafel is the original veggie burger and is a common dish throughout the Middle East. It is found in Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Egypt, and is especially popular with Palestinians. In Egypt it is known as tamiyah or taamiyah. I will show you here two Palestinian falafel recipes.

Palestinian Falafel Recipe I

Ingredients:

* 3 kilograms Chick Peas
* 1/4 kilogram Garlic
* 1/2 kilogram Onion
* 1/4 kilogram Parsley
* 4 tablespoons Falafel Spice: (Cumin, Turmeric, Coriander, and Cayenne)
* 2 tablespoons Carboneh (baking soda)
* Salt to taste.

Preparation:

• Sok the chick Peas in water for at least 8 hours.
• Grind the Chick Peas, Garlic, Onion and Parsely together, with a small amount of water, adding the falafel spices, carboneh, and salt.
• Leave set for at least one hour, then deep-fry in hot oil for about three-minutes, or until brown (note: the quantities listed are for restaurant quantities, adjust the ingredients accordingly).

Palestinian Falafel Recipe II

4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas, dried -- 1 cup
• Breadcrumbs -- 1/2 cup
• Garlic, crushed -- 2-3 cloves
• Parsley, minced -- 1/4 cup
• Flour -- 2 tablespoons
• Salt -- 1-2 teaspoons
• Baking powder -- 1 teaspoon
• Ground coriander -- 1 teaspoon
• Ground cumin -- 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric (optional) -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Cayenne pepper -- 1/2 teaspoon
• Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

• Place the chickpeas in a large saucepan and add water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat and then cover tightly and remove from heat. Let set for 1-2 hours to soak.

• Drain the chickpeas and rinse them with fresh water. Place the chickpeas, breadcrumbs and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the chickpeas break down into small pieces the size of breadcrumbs. Do not overprocess to a puree.

• Remove the chickpea mixture to a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients except for the oil and mix together well. The mixture should have a fairly dry, crumbly texture. Add a little water if it is too dry to form balls with your hand. Adjust seasoning to taste. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls or ovals and then flatten slightly.

• Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375°F, or heat 1/2 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Drop patties a few at a time into the hot oil and brown well on both sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the browned from the oil and drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with the remaining patties.

• Falafel can be served on its own with taratour sauce. Or stuff it in pita bread halves with tomatoes, cucumbers and onions and eat it like a sandwich.