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GENERAL BOARDS => Other Artisan Crafts => Topic started by: Cheese Head on March 11, 2012, 04:10:06 PM
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Love Falafel sandwiches ever since being posted in Damascus Syria where they were very cheap at SYP10 (about USD0.25).
Made a batch from scratch before, but the formed felafel's fell apart in the deep fryer, I think because too moist.
Made this batch from small retail package bought here in Houston but made in Lebanon. Very easy to make, (used 3/4 cup room temp water), shape, and cook for about 1 min per batch (made 23). End product very tasty but some granules little hard, not very re-hydrated. Next time will use full cup water and wait 3 hours.
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Oh john, you can't be serious! a ready mix?!
Its so easy and healthy to make your own fresh.
Buy some fresh chickpees of any verietal,soak them overnight (optional with baking soda) in cold water.
Use a meat mincer on fine plate, put some minced garlic and onion,fresh parsely,cumin powder,salt,pepper ,chilli powder if you like it hot and BOOM, you got falafel.
There is also the Mitzri version with fabba beans which is made the same way.
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They look really good. I never thought to make them. There's a tiny little 10x10 shop down the road that makes them I get when I am nearby and they are excelent. I keep trying to rememeber to look them up but always forget. Thanks for reminding me.
So they are chickpeas? What is thet little donut thingy you have theree? Interesting shapes.
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Yep, falafel is basically fried hummus with the tahini on the side lol
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I thought it would be more completcated than that - figures my favorrite food are simple leftovers.
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I made a great batch this week, the paste freezes really well and the left over frying oil is very flavorful to use in other dishes.
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and that recipe would be where .... ???? Hint! Hint!
Nudge, nudge ....
Just wondering. I think the only way I have seen chickpeas here is in a can. Is that usable? I haven't seen any fresh or dried ones.
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Fresh are very rare and dont even arrive to the market, you need to know a grower to get some.
Dried is much more common and can be found in most spice stores.
Canned are already cooked which may or may not work.
As I said the recipe is fairly freestyle.
Here is the general direction:
1 kg of soaked pees.
1 head of garlic
2 large onions
salt and pepper
Coriander and parselly - the more the better,but a spring each will do. I pre chope them so they dont clog my mesh.
1 tbsp of cummin
1 tbsp of paprica (you can even use smoked)
1 tsp of baking soda (creats "air-ness")
Chilli powder if you like it hot
Optional : 3 slices of dry bread, just the crumb. soaked and squized of water.
If it doesnt hold,use some bread crumbs. just a few tsps.
Grind everything in a meat mincer using a fine mesh. If your strugelling you can use a coarse and then redo with a fine.
Heat up the oil really hot and then turn down the heat, you want gental frying. when its dark brown, its ready.
Drain it of oil using a paper towel before eating or alse you will ruin your diet O0
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Hi Tomer, yep I know I needed chiding over using a package! It was a leftover from my Dad, I had tried making from scratch before from a recipe off the internet but they fell apart during frying. So thanks for your recipe above, will and have both canned and dry chickpeas/garbanzo beans. No meat grinder so will use food processor.
Also, had some at a nice restaurant last week, much larger 1.5"/3.5 cm balls than I made and much softer/less cooked on inside than mine and I think nicer. They were also lighter in colour than in picture of them with hummus etc.
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Mmm they look good! Thanks for the recipe. I had no idea what they where so I needed a good starting place. Such a simple thing and yet such a guilty pleasure. Maybe it's the grease! I will have to look around for the dried beans. I don't recall seeing them dried only canned. Maybe the Italian market in the city has them dried. We use a lot of garbonzo beans in soups and salads.
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It can essentially be made with any kind of beans.
John use a grater attachment on your food processor if you have it, it will give you better texture.
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I've made black bean falafel. It was OK.
I still prefer chickpea. I have done like 10 different beans, but not FAVA YET!!!!
Lame, I know.
It is super easy to make, no mix necessary.
MolBasser
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You can even use lentals and spice it up indian style. very tasty.
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It doesn't come out the same with canned beans, they need a binder or they fall apart. Check the Goya section of the supermarket for dried chick peas, they carry them regularly in all the stores around me. If not there, look for an Indian grocery; mine has several varieties.
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there is always this option...
http://www.amazon.com/Garbanzo-Beans-Grown-Identity-Preserved/dp/B001PEWJWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334148765&sr=8-1 (http://www.amazon.com/Garbanzo-Beans-Grown-Identity-Preserved/dp/B001PEWJWC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334148765&sr=8-1)
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Ah Garbanzo Beans! I have those! No good Italian girl would be without her Garbanzo Beans! It that the same thing as chick peas?
I buy dried beans here: Great stuff and their fruits are so good you don't know they are dried!
http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/beans-garbonzo25lb.aspx (http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/beans-garbonzo25lb.aspx)
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It's implied above but I'll come right out and say it.
Garbonzo beans and chick peas are the same thing. You may be walking right past them. I can't believe there is a grocery store in the world that doesn't carry dried chick peas (aka Garbonzo beans...)
I use them for batting practice for the kids ball team I coach. Really trains their eye to hit a chick pea with a broom handle. Once they've got that mastered, a baseball is nothing...
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I did not know they were the same thing. Never bought chick peas but I use garbonza beans in a lot of foods. Confusing one is called BEANS and one is called PEAS. I would have expected them to be a different animal.
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John, I happen to love the dried stuff. I like to actually hydrate it to slightly thinner than you think will work, put a little oil in a frying pan, then cook it up like a pancake (minus waiting for bubbles, just go with doneness). It's fantastic with pepper flavor Boursin and spinach wrapped up or made like a sandwich using the pita. Add any other veggies you like. It's convenient, and the dried stuff still does have great spicing.
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I did not know they were the same thing. Never bought chick peas but I use garbonza beans in a lot of foods. Confusing one is called BEANS and one is called PEAS. I would have expected them to be a different animal.
Well, peas and beans are both lentils... Hard to figure out a lot of the names. I think it may be due to how they packaged. I usually see garbonzo beans canned and soft, chick peas could be what they call the dried form.
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I have only seen garbonzo beans dried here but I don't generally go into the canned food isles except tomatoes so they may be in there. I am not much of a shopper more of a grab and run type. ;)
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As opposed to canned beans which is taste fairly close to the traditional baked beans, canned chickpeas are aweful and should be avoided and im suprise they make them since I'm almost possitive they dont sell :)