Falafel, a popular Middle Eastern food, is known not only for its delicious taste but also for its nutritious benefits. This dish, traditionally made from minced ful (dried broad beans) or chickpeas, is a complex carbohydrate rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These ingredients take longer to digest, making falafel a healthy and filling option.
One creative twist on the traditional falafel is to shape it into burger patties, creating an oriental falafel burger. These small patties are typically cooked by being plunged directly into boiling oil, then served in warm bread with fresh salad ingredients.
To prepare falafel at home, start by slicing and de-seeding squash, then chopping it into sections. Brush these lightly with oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange them around falafel, sumac onions, labneh balls, feta cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, and olives. After frying the falafel, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and let them drain on a plate lined with paper towels. To ensure even cooking, lower the oven setting to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6 and place the tray of falafel on the bottom shelf.
For those who prefer a healthier cooking method, falafel dough can rest before being baked. Meanwhile, boil farro as per package instructions. This dish has gained popularity over time, with recipes frequently appearing in newspapers like Haaretz.
When frying, cook about six falafel fritters at a time, turning them over once they achieve a nice toasty brown color. Remove them once both sides are evenly browned.
To enhance the flavor of your falafel, consider adding Beqaa Lebanese 7 Spice Seasoning, which adds delicious flavors to meatballs, falafel, and pulse dishes.
Assembling a falafel dish is easy. Fill each pitta with lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumber, falafel, and some yogurt. For a balanced meal, make up falafel salad bowls by dividing the salad equally into four bowls.
The cooking process begins by heating oil in a pan, then frying onions and garlic until softened. The falafel mixture typically includes chickpeas, cumin, coriander, pepper, cayenne, salt, onion, garlic, parsley, and flour, blended in a food processor or grinder.
