Felafel is a traditional middle eastern food: usually deep fried little balls of spiced chickpea batter. Crunchy, delicious, and actually healthy for you, even if you fry them.
These felafel are baked, though, so they are even better for you. Packed with protein and vegies and all kinds of good herbs and spices. Don’t even try to fry them. I had a few that didn’t fit on my little baking sheet, so I tried frying them in olive oil and just trust me on this one, the baked ones were SO much better.
I hear there is a lot of controversy over felafel. It seems many Palestinians believe that Israelis have stolen falafel, a traditional Arab food … personally I don’t understand why we need to fight over food.
I am more of a peaceful soul who likes to enjoy good food … I really don’t care who invented it … just as long as it’s good. And these little babies are definitely good.
Fabulous Baked Felafel
Adapted from Shutterbean
Makes 10 – 15 or so felafel
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas (aka, garbanzo beans)
- 1 small onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (alas, I had no cilantro, so I substituted basil …)
- Juice of 1 kumquat (or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Put all the ingredients into a handy chopper or food processor and blend till everything is chopped fine and forms a paste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Form into small balls, about 1 1/2 – 2 inches diameter and flatten into patties. Place your lovely little felafels onto a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it’s baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).
Felafel are typically served in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, and a tahini sauce. I had them for lunch today with a bit of onion, lettuce, tomato,  Mia’s fantastic avocado hummus and some feta cheese. I really wanted some tzatziki to go alongside, but alas, I had no cucumber. They were still pretty dang fabulous.
They are quite nice just to munch on as a little appetizer too. Just be careful … they are slightly addictive.
This recipe was shared at Talent Show Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, and Newlyweds Recipe Linky.
11 comments
Falafel awesome! I totaly forgot about their existence. I realy have to make them one of these days. thanks for sharing your recipe, I ll give it a try soon. =)
Mmm, i adore falafel! Will have to make these SOON.
Wow these are so yummy, falafel is one of my most beloved humble food, but I never tried to bake them, may be because I like it the way I used to eat it back home. Yes I’m palestineane, and it’s not like we are fighting over food with the israeali’s, but look at it as we are claming our culture, the food and the way of eating is showing some of the culture of any country, we hate that israeal stole the land and the culture too. The falafel is not the only food that israeal claim it to themselves, the couscous too, now I see here in America they name it as the Israeali Couscous. Believe me when you have an occubied home country you will do just like this fight for every thing to claim your wrights…But the poor palestineans here have no luck since the israeali’s have a strong power even over what it looks like the more powerful countries.
Good cooks: thank you for sharing your feelings about this issue … I didn’t understand at all. It means a lot to me that you took time to help me know what the struggle is about on a personal, emotional level.
Very sorry if I bother you when I talked about the stollen food, we palestineans like the peace too, and I guess more than any nations, or we’ll not accept splitting the land with others, like what happened now, but the worst is israeal want to steel all the land, do you belive that my father and grandfather was born in what is now israeal , in jafa, and they still have their birth sertificates, and they did show us where is thier home but an israeali family was in it….I can’t say more it’s something more than talking…..
What made me come back is I forgot to mention something for the recipe, try to make it with dried chickpeas, and never do it with the cooked or canned chickpeas because the cooked will not do well at all, like what happened when you tried to fry it, it will melt in the frier and will never hold the shape, trust me on this, try it again with dried chickpeas, you can find it in your local Walmart store, soak it overnight, and next day grind it , I use the meat grinder, and do it twice, then proceed with the recipe.
Any way, if you want to try lt, I will post the recipe becuse I make it for the daring cooks February challenge and were not suppose to reveal until the Feb. 14.
Thank you so much for this awsome post, I really like it.
Thank you, thank you so so much…..
Oh no, you didn’t upset me at all! I really love it that you shared your feelings. It helps me understand better, and I really truly do want to understand.
Thank you also for letting me know about the chickpeas. I will definitely try that next time I make these and I will be looking for your post 🙂
Yum! This looks great! Thanks for linking up to the Tuesday Talent Show! I hope to see you again next week!
-Nikki
Chef in Training
http://www.chef-in-training.com
I’m with Samah on all that she’s said (although I’m not Palestinian and have never made falafel with cooked beans). 🙂 I do make my own gourmet version of falafel at home, and like she’s said, buy the dried stuff and soak it overnight, then grind it with onion, parsley and lots of herbs. My recipe can be found here.
These do look great though. I don’t know why I’d be reluctant to bake the falafel. I just love that fatty fried goodness… as for the sandwich, try using a mix of about 2 tsps of tahini with 3-4 tbs of natural yoghurt, then use that in the sandwich alongside all the veges you’ve put in there… 🙂 My granny splits open a pita bread, crushes the falafels on it, then tops it with the yoghurt/tahini and veggies, then closes the pita and cuts it like pizza… too good, it’s to die for… especially when eaten with a hot cuppa sweet tea! Divinity…. ♥
P.S. recipe link didn’t go through in my comment above. Here it is:
http://fatisrecipes.wordpress.com/2011/07/21/fervent-falafel-gourmet-syrian-falaafel-recipe/
Looks Delicious. Thanks for sharing
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