Living in Middle East, the flavor and access to Falafel is not only convenient but this popular street food is available in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes it is even stuffed. Lebanese Falafel is often used in wraps or filled in pita bread pockets with assorted vegetables and dips like hummus or matabbal.
What is a Lebanese Falafel made of?
Lebanese Falafel is fried/baked patty primarily made from raw chickpeas/garbanzo beans also know as cholay/chanay in Urdu/Hindi. Other ingredients include some herbs, spices, binding agent, optional sesame seeds and onion.
How do you make Lebanese Falafel?
Making Falafel at home is very easy. You have to soak your chickpeas/beans overnight and then next day, mix all the ingredients, mix in a processor and make patty and fry.
What are the ingredients of a Falafel?
The main ingredient is Garbanzo beans or chickpeas (raw and uncooked). The spices like salt, pepper, cumin powder, chili, herbs like coriander/parsley and a binding agent like corn flour/chickpeas flour/baisan. Sesame seeds are added for that extra crunch.
What is the primary ingredient of the Middle Eastern dish of Falafel?
The primary ingredient of Falafel is raw or uncooked chickpeas that are soaked overnight or for minimum 8-10 hours. Using the canned or bottled cooked chickpeas won’t give the same result.
Lebanese Falafel Recipe
Lebanese Falafel is such an easy recipe made with dried/raw chickpeas (not canned or bottled) soaked overnight. Mix with herbs and spices, process and fry/bake!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (don't use canned chickpeas)
- 1/2 cup onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup coriander
- 1 green chilly
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garam masala optional
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour/baisan
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tablespoon sesame seed
Instructions
1. Mix all except sesame seeds and grind it till a ball can be formed.
2. Mix in sesame seeds.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 mins*.
4. Make balls or flat patty and fry or bake** on medium flame till cooked from inside and crispy from outside.
Notes
* You can easily keep them refrigerated for 1 day
** Bake them drizzling with oil and rotating half way through
These Falafel can compliment other Middle Eastern popular street food like
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