Even if we, the Israelis have adopted the falafel as a national dish, it is not at all ours. It comes from the Egyptians, made with dried white broad beans, or from the Lebanese, Syrians and Jordanians made with chickpeas, like this recipe.
You eat the falafel standing, slightly bent, so that the tahini mix and spicy Schug do not drip on your clothes.
Ingredients for the "Follow Israel" Falafel:
• 500 g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 2 grated onions
• 3 finely chopped cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tea spoons ground cumin or caraway
• 2 tea spoons ground coriander (cilantro)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• salt
• pinch of cayenne
• oil for deep-frying
Method of preparation:
Mix together onion, garlic, parsley, cumin (caraway), coriander, salt and cayenne. Mince the chickpeas in blender or meat grinder to a smooth, thick paste. Add the mixture to the chickpeas paste and mix. If necessary add a little water.
Put the mixture at least 1 hour aside in a cool place (if the paste does not stick together it is a sign that it is not ground fine enough and adding a little flour may help). Add baking powder to the mixture just before making the falafel balls.
Form small ping-pong sized balls from the paste. Deep-fry the balls golden brown in hot oil.
Serve hot with a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers (in pita bread), tahini mix and Schug = hot green Chilli Chutney.
B'tayavon – bon appetit – enjoy your meal!
