Falafel

Ever since hearing stories of the fresh, amazing food my sister-in-law experienced on her trip through the Middle East, I have been dying to try and make some falafel. Granted, I have no point of reference, but listening to her descriptions of the crispy, healthful, flavorful (and vegetarian!) "crunch patties" (Simpsons shout-out!) made me feel like I had a realistic expectation for what falafel should be.

I did a little research.

I did a little web surfing.

I consulted with my Mama.

We came up with this recipe... and I'd like to think we came pretty darn close to the real thing.

Falafel

Makes about 20 small, 1 1/4" thick patties

3/4 C dried chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), soaked 10-12 hours and drained*

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

1/2 large onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, diced (or 2 tsp minced garlic from a jar)

1 egg white

2 tsp ground coriander 

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 C tightly packed chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper

neutral-tasting oil for frying

pita bread, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, avocado, and spreads for serving

Place drained chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add lemon juice and blend until a finely-ground meal is achieved (stop before it becomes a paste!).

In the meantime, saute onion, garlic, coriander, and cumin in some olive oil with a pinch of salt until onions are tender.

In a large bowl (or pot, ahem), combine chickpeas with onion mixture, baking soda, chopped parsley, and a pinch or two of pepper (you could also add hot sauce here, if you'd like a little extra kick- we chose to leave it out).

Add egg white.

Form into small disc-like patties around 1" thick (or you could flatten
for an even thinner, crispier patty... more surface area = more
crispness, though the thinner you go, the more likely they are
to fall apart in the pan!)
*Note: the most authentic shape is actually a ball, however we
found that patties 'fit' the pita bread best, in our humble opinion

Carefully drop into hot oil (med-hi or around 350 degrees) and fry until golden brown. Patties should sizzle and brown quickly- if patties fall apart, the oil isn't hot enough... or they're too thin!

Remove from oil with slotted spoon or spider and place on a tray lined with paper towels. Serve hot with warm pita bread, chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes, avocados, cucumbers, and sauces.

Mom's Favorite Falafel Sauce: 1/2 C sour cream, 1/4 tsp ground coriander, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp chili powder, few squirts of red Tobasco, pinch or two of salt (to taste)

Dad's Favorite Falafel Sauce: 1/2 large cucumber, grated and squeezed of extra moisture, 1/4 C Greek yogurt, 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/4 tsp chopped chives, 1 TBS finely chopped sweet onion, 

1/2 tsp dry dill weed, salt to taste

*If you don't have time to start with dried chickpeas and go through the soaking process, you can sub one can of garbanzo beans that you've drained and rinsed.