Making Falafel?

Post by **JOJO** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 9:58 pm

I'm going to have a go at making Falafel tomorrow, I think I have got the right ingredients?

Dry chick peas (soaking over night)
onion
garlic
corriander
cumin
salt/pepper
Cayen pepper?
flour

I've looked at a couple of recipes on the net and some say to cook the chickpeas before blending and others say not to?
Any idea?

Also can I put aubergine into it?
Thank you xx

Post by **jewel** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 10:41 pm

It is exceedingly noble of you to be making them, but I always buy them ready to cook!! Call me lazy, or what?!

Lemon juice over them is a must

http://cauldronfoods.co.uk/our-range/snacks/falafels/

Post by **JOJO** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:15 pm

I'll give them a try tomorrow and if they turn out naff I'll buy the ready made ones next time.

Post by **BENNU** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 11:34 pm

First time I made falafel, I had never seen a recipe, it was too exotic in Denmark in the seventies, so I boiled the chick peas first. They were full of oil long before they were done :sick . It is enough to let them soak over night. I would add parsley and dill!

GOOD LUCK!

Post by **TonyC** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 6:36 am

I hesitate before stepping into the kitchen, because I've only used canned chickpeas when attempting falafel. But I've always been told that dried beans/chickpeas must be cooked after the overnight soaking – boiling water not oil – before making the patties (mini-burgers in my case!). The falafel is then cooked quickly in oil.

Post by **Goddess** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 6:37 am

Isn't chick peas Ta'amiya? or is it the other way round? We make ours with soaked ground up fava beans, everything else from the recipe (apart from the cayenne) and a half teaspoon of anise for zing. Sure we don't add flour either. Just form it into balls with wetted hands and fry straightaway.

Post by **BENNU** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 8:50 am

Goddess wrote:Isn't chick peas Ta'amiya? or is it the other way round?.

It is the other way around! It may just be the language, but in Turkey, Lebanon etc they use chick peas, in Egypt flava. Haven't we had this discussion before...

???

Post by **JOJO** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 10:24 pm

Delia eat your heart out- my falafels turned out brilliant! The kids loved them.

I ended up adding parsley as well, next time I might add a litle chopped up chilli peppers for more zing.

The only problem I had was with the Pitta bread, I wasted half of them trying to slice them

I added the flour but I think you are right Goddess I don't think they need it to bind.

Post by **BENNU** » Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:15 pm

Do you bake your own pita or buy them? If you make the ready made ones wet before you put them in a hot oven and let them pop up, then keep them covered with a moist cloth, they will stay soft and open easily!

Post by **Claire** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:41 pm

Yeah we have had this conversation before! Well done Jojo for your successful falafel!
Don't cook the chick peas or use canned ones or it will turn to mush when you try to fry it!
Yeah add fresh flat leaved parsley, fresh coriander and dill if you can get it. Adding a bit of spring onion is nice too!
Put the pitta bread under the grill to wrm them slightly then they puff up a bit and you can open them but don't over do it or they go hard or ... burn!
Yum I'm hungry now!

Post by **redsaffy** » Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:54 pm

Can't seem to get fava beans round here so chick peas it is!! but I cheat and us the ready to use ones from sainsbury's!!

There great for humus