Falafel are a typical dish of Middle Eastern cuisine, mainly in Syrian, Palestinian, Lebanese, Jordanian, Turkish, and Egyptian cuisine, consisting of spiced and fried legume patties. The most commonly used legumes are broad beans, chickpeas, and crushed beans, seasoned with sumac, onion, garlic, cumin, and coriander.
A peculiarity of this recipe is that in the Middle Eastern region, they are made with chickpeas, while in Egypt, falafel are usually made with broad beans. The term “falafel” is Arabic and indicates the presence of legumes in the recipe.
These spiced patties are perfect accompanied by hummus, or with yogurt sauce as I did this time, and they can accompany an ethnic aperitif or a vegetarian lunch.
Do you like ethnic recipes?
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 12 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 50 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Air Fry
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 227.13 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.23 (g) of which sugars 0.47 (g)
- Proteins 2.27 (g)
- Fat 22.11 (g) of which saturated 3.71 (g)of which unsaturated 17.34 (g)
- Fibers 1.51 (g)
- Sodium 9.26 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 15 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Falafel with Yogurt Sauce
- 2 1/2 cups dried chickpeas
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 bunch coriander (or parsley)
- 1 pinch cumin
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste peanut oil
Tools
- Mixer
- Frying Pan
Preparation of Falafel with Yogurt Sauce
Start by soaking the chickpeas in cold water the night before. After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas, then dry them thoroughly with a clean cloth: they must be perfectly dry at the time of use to ensure a dough of the right consistency (to be sure, you can dry them further for 10 minutes in a preheated fan oven at 212°F). At this point, pour the chickpeas into a mixer.
Cut the onion into large wedges and add it to the mixer along with the crushed or pressed garlic clove. Season with a pinch of cumin, adjust salt, and add a dash of black pepper.
Turn on the mixer and chop all the ingredients.
Chop the parsley separately and add it to the mixture: it is important not to chop it directly in the mixer because it would release too much water, compromising the consistency of the mixture. Blend again to mix everything together, once you have obtained a soft mush, take some mixture in your hands and form flattened patties, placing them on a plate.
Cover with cling film and let rest in the fridge for at least one hour.
Heat the oil in a large pan and when it’s hot, dip in the falafel and let them fry for 5 or 6 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown.
As they cook, place them on a plate lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
Transfer them to a serving plate and serve immediately with yogurt sauce.
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FAQ
Where did falafel originate?
These legume patties likely originated in Egypt as a dish consumed by Coptic Christians during periods of abstinence from meat. Initially, they were made with broad beans, which were only later replaced by chickpeas when they became part of Levantine cuisine.
