Living in Middle East, the flavor and access to store-bought 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 falafel sandwich or filled in pita bread pockets with assorted vegetables and dips like hummus or mutabbal.
How do you make Labenese Falafel?
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.
What is the recipe of great homemade 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 food processor and make patties and shallow fry on a medium heat taking them out on a paper towel. Though you can bake/ air fry falafel but in mu opinion its not the real deal.
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. Add sesame seeds for that extra crunch.
How do you eat a Falafel Platter?
I love to make Falafel Platter for a weekday night dinner or a weekend brunch. It is also a very popular item in Ramadan/Ramzan (Islamic Fasting Month) for Iftar.
I personally love to serve the two famous Middle Eastern Dips – Hummus and Mutabbal, some fresh veggies, pita bread is also a great addition to Falafel Platter.
Fatayer or Turkish Pide also compliments the Falafel.
I also like to pair falafel bowl with a fresh Fattoush/Cucumber Salad topped with cherry tomatoes and feta cheese bursting with tangy lemon dressing and Tahini Sauce.
What is the primary ingredient of the Middle Eastern dish of Falafel?
The primary ingredient of Falafel is raw or uncooked chickpeas. Soak them 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
What is a good Falafel Binder?
The chickpea flour/baisan is a great binder for these falafel, however corn flour should also do the job.
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