Falafel

 

Falafel ( ) is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava bean. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flat bread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables and hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze.
Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, where the dish is widely known as (), falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. The hearty fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food.
The Israeli appropriation of falafel as a "national snack" has caused resentment among Palestinians and in parts of the Arab world who see the dish as authentically Arab.

Etymology

The Arabic word () is the plural of () 'hot pepper' also adjective denoting 'something fluffy', Encyclopedia of Jewish Food By Gil Marks, page 183 probably from the Sanskrit word 'long pepper'. Define: falafelThe American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, s.v. falafel The word has now spread to the European languages, Hebrew, and the rest of the world.
The word falafel can now refer to the fritters themselves or to sandwiches filled with them.

History

thumbleftFalafel stacked around the hot oil where it is friedThe origin of falafel is unknown and controversial. Slow food: collected thoughts on taste, tradition, and the honest pleasures ... By Carlo Petrini, Benjamin Watson, Chapter Four, Page 55 A common theory is that the dish originates in Egypt, possibly eaten by Copts as a replacement for meat during Lent. Yael Raviv, "Falafel: A National Icon" Gastronomica Summer 2003 Alexandria being a port city made it possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. Some authors even claim it dates to the pharaonic period. Egyptian food and drink, By Hilary Wilson, page 25 The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, where chickpeas replaced the fava. It has been theorized to a lesser extent that falafel has origins in the Indian subcontinent where it and other chickpea-based dishes are also popular. In recent years, the falafel debates have sometimes devolved into political discussions about the relationship between Arabs and Israelis.
Falafel grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in the Middle East. During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset. Falafel became so popular that McDonald's began to serve a "McFalafel" in some countries.
Historically falafel was never specifically a Jewish dish, nevertheless it is designated kosher-parve and it was eaten also by Mizrahi Jews in countries like Egypt and Syria. Later, it was adopted by early Jewish immigrants to Palestine. It was in Israel that falafel was first eaten in pita bread and filled with salads. On the trail of Israeli falafel Falafel has now become an iconic part of Israeli cuisine and is often considered a national dish. The love of falafel crosses the ethnic and religious community boundaries of Israel's diverse society. This has led to resentment by Palestinians and assertions of copyright infringement by the Lebanese Industrialists' Association. Lebanon and Israel have been engaged in an escalating gastronomic battle, sometimes referred to as a food fight, where falafel, hummus and tabbouleh are being used as ammunition. 10-Tonne Hummus Victory In Lebanon-Israel's Gastronomy Wars On May 9, 2010 in Beirut, more than 300 Lebanese chefs prepared falafel mixture, Guinness Book of World Records representative was present to record the feat. Lebanese chefs load up with falafel for Israel food fight On May 21, 2010 an Israeli chef in New York had set a world record for the largest falafel ball, weighing in at and with a circumference of more than a meter (3.3 ft). It was reported the ball is expected to enter the Guinness Book of World Records. Israeli chef rolls into the record books with largest falafel ball.
Israelis were the first to spread falafel to Europe and the United States, sometime in the 1970s. Falafel fact sheet Today, falafel is eaten all over the world. It is popular among vegetarians, and prepackaged mixes are sold in health-food and grocery stores. These days falafel-inspired burgers made of chickpea are eaten as a kind of veggie burger. The Great Big Burger Book: 100 New and Classic Recipes for Mouth Watering ... By Jane Murphy, page 304

Variations

thumbFalafel sandwich.Falafel is made from fava beans or chickpeas or a combination of the two. The Egyptian variety uses fava beans, while the use of chickpeas is predominant in other Middle Eastern countries. Being derived from the Arabic word for nourishment, falafel is known as in most of Egypt. Palestinians and Yemenite Jews in Jerusalem have historically prepared falafel only from chickpeas. About Israel's signature food--plus, a recipe. The beans are not cooked prior to use. Instead they are soaked with baking soda, then ground together with various ingredients including onion, parsley, sesame seeds, and spices such as cumin and coriander. The mixture is shaped into balls or patties. This can be done by hand or with a tool called an aleb falafel. The mixture is then deep fried.
Egyptian falafel is usually made from fava beans, although it may also be made from garbanzo beans, and is often quite spicy. Typically garlic, scallions, leeks and onions are part of the mixture as well as pepper. The Alexandria version uses generous quantities of cayenne pepper. Egyptian Falafel is normally served on a whole wheat pita bread with salad and tahini sauce or a parsley-tahini sauce called bakdooniseya. Egyptian Falafel Recipe Bakdooniseya Sauce
In Arab countries a round khubz, 'eish' in Egypt, is halved and used to create a cigar-shaped wrap. In Arab countries, hummus is rarely added to falafel. Tahini thinned with water and lemon is more common. In Lebanon, the popular salad called tabbouleh could be eaten alongside falafel and many other dishes, because it is also a part of the meze. Pickled cucumber or chilies, turnip (colored pink with beetroot), and raw onion are common falafel accompaniments. Sumac is very commonly used with falafel in Syria. theepicentre In Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, French fries may be added to the sandwich. The History of Falafel

Nutrition

When made with chickpeas, falafel is high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fiber. Chickpeas are also low in fat, cholesterol, and salt. Key nutrients are calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, Vitamin C, thiamine, pantothenic acid, Vitamin B, and folate. Phytochemicals include beta-carotine.
Falafel is hearty enough to replace hamburger patties and meatballs in vegetarian dishes. Falafel can be baked to reduce the fat content associated with frying, but doing so will alter the texture and flavor.

Falafel