Let’s Cook Something New: Falafel

This summer I tried cooking something new. Falafel, made from chickpeas, is a mainstay in the cuisine of the Middle East. But they are new to me. My inspiration comes from the tiny but innovative New Orleans’ restaurant, “1000 Figs,” and their food truck, “The Fat Falafel.” The falafel was soft and flavorful, elegantly served. I was inspired to make my own. Here’s how the cooking adventure turned out.

Falafel is made from chickpeas which are lentils. They are very healthy; high in protein and fiber. They fit into the Mediterranean meal pattern, too. While falafel is found on menus of local Lebanese and Greek restaurants, I’d never paid much attention to them. The New Orleans restaurant, “1000 Figs,” features falafel as the mainstay of their menu. When we ate at the restaurant this summer, it provided a new perspective on this food. The falafel was very tasty and elegantly served with interesting pickled vegetables and dips.

Falafel: Middle East Fast-Food

From everything I’ve read and heard, falafel is the fast food and staple of the Middle East. It is served in some variation in every country–Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and others. Street vendors sell falafel for lunch. My daughter attests to this. During a visit to Israel last year, she ate falafel every day for lunch; purchased from a street vendor.

The falafel was placed in a pita bread sandwich along with french fries, hummus and spicy vegetables. She’s not sure what the spicy vegetables were but loved the sandwich.

Here is my daughter and friend on their trip to Israel visiting Masada.So I have an authentic falafel taste tester. 

Our favorite Greek – Lebanese lunch diner, Serops, includes falefel on their lunch menu. 

Now I have several comparisons and know sort of what I’m aiming for.

Chickpeas or Garbanzo Beans

Falafels are made from chickpeas–the same thing as garbanzo beans. I first encountered garbanzo beans on a salad bar. Crunchy, sort of nutty–they add a little sustenance to a salad.

Falafel is made from dried chickpeas which have been soaked overnight. The beans are not cooked further–apparently cooked chickpeas are soft and mushy and don’t work in falafel. The black specks in the pot are parts of the washed off skin. Most of the recipes that I reviewed on the internet claimed that canned chickpeas won’t work. So I went with the recommendations and used dried beans.Here are the ingredients for my first version of falafel. The seasonings to go along with the chickpeas are onion, garlic, cloves and parsley. The spices that I’m using are cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes. The chickpeas are rather bland, and they can accommodate spicy seasonings.

The ingredients are blended in a food processor. The chickpeas should be pulsed until they are ground up finely, but not pureed. A little flour helps hold the beans together and often baking powder is added to help them “poof up.” I tried using self-rising flour.

Let refrigerate for several hours. These did not hold together without chilling. Press into balls about the size of a walnut and refrigerate a little longer.

Fry at 350 degrees. I used a wok.

Here are the finished falafels. When I compared these falafels to the ones from the Greek/Lebanese restaurant, mine were more course and very crunchy. The flavor was fine. 

I served them with pickled vegetables and a sauce. The 1000 Figs restaurant included finely sliced and pickled beet and carrots. I made my own; and will share the recipe in another post.I thought I could do better with the falafel recipe, so for a second try, I used canned garbanzo beans and added more baking powder.I pulsed the mixture to a paste. These held together without chilling.

This time I used a deep fat fryer for frying – very convenient. Some turned out nicely but others exploded. Next time I’ll omit the baking powder.

Here are the nice ones. I served these with Tzatziki Sauce (yogurt sauce — see recipe in post from September 2015). This sauce blended well with the falafel.

And here is my final recipe which is a combination of several sources. The canned garbanzo beans/chickpeas worked well, so they are included in this recipe.

So, now I’ve tried a new food and recipe, thanks to our adventures in dining in New Orleans. The falafel is tasty — especially with the yogurt sauce and pickled vegetables. A very healthy vegetarian meal.

If you visit New Orleans, I suggest this restaurant, 1000 Figs.