Okay, maybe there isn’t an all-out, nationwide frenzy for falafel. Yet, on the same night this week that I made falafel sandwiches for dinner, I learned that Subway now sells foot-long falafel subs. Although I walk past a Subway shop several times a day – coincidentally, en route to the actual subway — I hadn’t been aware of its new offering. What I do know and have experienced are countless croquettes of spiced, ground chickpeas known as falafel.
A specialty of the Middle East, falafel reputedly originated in ancient Egypt. Today it’s one of the country’s national dishes and served as an appetizer as well as a snack. Among Egypt’s Coptic Christians, it’s acts as a substitute for meat during Lent. Tucked inside a soft, fresh pita and dressed with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and/or tahini or a yogurt dressing, falafel makes a delightful sandwich.
In Egypt falafel are made with white broad beans or fava beans. In Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel they come from chickpeas or a mixture of chickpeas and fava beans, which is how I know them best.
To make falafel, dried chickpeas or fava beans are soaked in water overnight before being ground together with parsley, garlic and other seasonings. Note that cooked, canned chickpeas or fava beans are never used. These would make the falafel too mushy.
The subsequent paste is shaped into balls or patties. I use my hands to do this but you can employ a special tool, aleb falafel, to form them. An aleb falafel looks a bit like an ice cream scoop and possesses a lever that pops the ball into the bubbling cooking oil. If you’re concerned about your falafel falling apart or splashing oil as it enters the deep fryer, this is a handy tool to have.
Once the falafel balls have turned a golden brown, they’re plucked from the oil and placed on paper towels to drain. From here they’re served warm, over lettuce or in an open pita. In my opinion, they’re absolutely delicious. Delicious on a hoagie roll at Subway? I’m a tad skeptical. However, if you’re curious, check out this review from NPR.
FALAFEL
Courtesy of Clare Ferguson’s Street Food (Time Life Books, 1999)
Serves 6
1 1/4 cups skinned, dried fava beans
2/3 cup dried chickpeas
8 scallions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
olive oil, for deep frying
6 pitas, for serving
sliced lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber, for serving
tahini, for serving
Soak the beans and chickpeas separately in cold water for 24 hours. When ready to prepare, drain the beans and chickpeas, put into a food processor and puree to a coarse paste. Add, in batches, the scallions, garlic, parsley, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, coriander seeds, salt and baking powder.
Scoop out golf ball-sized spoonfuls of the mixture and press between your palms into sauce-shaped disks. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.
Fill a large saucepan 1/3-full with the olive oil and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a cube of bread browns in 40 seconds. Add the falafel, a few at a time, and deep-fry for about 2 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Remove from the oil with tongs or a slotted spoon, drain on crumpled paper towels and keep warm in the oven — oven on low — until ready to serve.
Place the falafel inside the pitas, add the lettuce, tomato, onions and cucumber and drizzle with tahini.