Felafel/Falafel--Cook-Off 30

[kayb]

Bumping this up to ask a question. I'm in the notion for falafel tomorrow. However, I do not have the first chickpea in my house (Horrors! When did I use the last ones?). Can I get by with using cassoulet or navy beans, the only other variety of white beans I have on hand? It's raining like nobody's business and I really don't want to go to the grocery for ONE thing.

 

[Lisa Shock]

26 minutes ago, kayb said:

Bumping this up to ask a question. I'm in the notion for falafel tomorrow. However, I do not have the first chickpea in my house (Horrors! When did I use the last ones?). Can I get by with using cassoulet or navy beans, the only other variety of white beans I have on hand? It's raining like nobody's business and I really don't want to go to the grocery for ONE thing.

 

 

Sure thing! I used to be really bad at making falafel, it always fell apart when I fried it. This was before the internet. I started asking people about making it, and discovered that it's different throughout the middle east. In Saudi Arabia, it's made almost entirely from stale bread. In other areas, it's raw or cooked fava beans, in other's it's raw garbanzos, in others it's cooked garbanzos (generally further north.)

 

I suggest reading THIS Serious Eats article. I myself like the falfel made with cooked beans, added flour, and a little baking soda/powder. That said, it does explain what's going on.

 

I like to add a little freshly ground cumin, to me it makes beans taste more 'beany'. I also like adding a tiny amount of allspice and something hot like pimenton, cayenne, or chipotle.

[Smithy]

@kayb, how did the falafel come out? I wouldn't have thought to try it with beans other than garbanzos or favas, if it hadn't been for your question and @Lisa Shock's answer.

[kayb]

Decided I didn't want it that night, so stuck the batter in the fridge, where it reposed for most of the week. I threw it away this morning.

😢

[Anna N]

1 hour ago, kayb said:

Decided I didn't want it that night, so stuck the batter in the fridge, where it reposed for most of the week. I threw it away this morning.

😢

 I gave you a sad face but really and honestly it’s exactly what should happen to batter for falafel.

Edited June 29, 2018 by Anna N (log)

[Okanagancook]

Can you make falafel with fresh fava beans?

I have said beans growing in the yard.

My guess is yes but I thought I would ask some experts. 

Thank you.

[Lisa Shock]

2 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Can you make falafel with fresh fava beans?

I have said beans growing in the yard.

My guess is yes but I thought I would ask some experts. 

Thank you.

 

Yes, HERE's a recipe.

[Okanagancook]

Thank you.  That’s an interesting recipe with the bread crumbing of the falafel before frying.

[Chris Hennes]

Made some falafel today with the only recipe for falafel in all of the cookbooks I own: the 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking! I was sort of surprised to discover that, but Eat Your Books doesn't lie . I've made this recipe many times, and so I sort of wing the spices based on what I've got on hand and what sounds good. I have some nice black cumin from Burlap & Barrel right now, as well as Urfa chiles, so those were the principle spices (plus a healthy does of coriander).

 

 

 

 

 

Served with Zhug from the recipe in Shockey & Shockey's Fiery Ferments (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), tahini dressing, a scattering of cherry tomatoes leftover from yesterday's pizza, and some arugula.

 

[heidih]

31 minutes ago, Chris Hennes said:

Made some falafel today with the only recipe for falafel in all of the cookbooks I own: the 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking! I was sort of surprised to discover that, but Eat Your Books doesn't lie . I've made this recipe many times, and so I sort of wing the spices based on what I've got on hand and what sounds good. I have some nice black cumin from Burlap & Barrel right now, as well as Urfa chiles, so those were the principle spices (plus a healthy does of coriander).

 

 

 

 

 

Served with Zhug from the recipe in Shockey & Shockey's Fiery Ferments (eG-friendly Amazon.com link), tahini dressing, a scattering of cherry tomatoes leftover from yesterday's pizza, and some arugula.

 

is that a recipe that uses soaked ground not cooked chckpeas or? Very uniform symetrical patties Mr Science   

[blue_dolphin]

48 minutes ago, Chris Hennes said:

Made some falafel today with the only recipe for falafel in all of the cookbooks I own: the 1997 edition of Joy of Cooking! I was sort of surprised to discover that, but Eat Your Books doesn't lie

They look great!  
Had to go search my books on EYB and came up with 43 falafel recipes!

[Okanagancook]

My EYB returned 32 recipes.  I always use uncooked soaked chick peas for the best texture.

[Chris Hennes]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

is that a recipe that uses soaked ground not cooked chckpeas or?

Yes, soaked then ground (in the food processor).

[Susanwusan]

Hi, I used to make falafel ages ago, using beans.  I've decided to try and make some again but using chickpeas.  I can't remember if I ever put a bit of flour or baking powder or bicarb in the mix - should I?  I've ground up the chickpeas already with parsley and coriander leaves, onion and cumin and coriander powder with salt and pepper, and garlic, and it's in the fridge overnight to come together a bit, although I don't recall doing this years ago.  What would be best to do, add any of the powders or not?

[rotuts]

try a google search :

 

many entries , like this one :

 

https://www.themediterraneandish.com/how-to-make-falafel/

[Alex]

From my cookbooks: Sussman uses bicarb, as does Abood; Roden uses bicarb or baking powder (your choice); Ottolenghi uses powder plus flour. Whether to add it after the mix has been chilled, I have no input or thoughts about that.

[Kerry Beal]

Powder in mine but no flour. 

Edited September 11 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Susanwusan]

I added baking powder and they turned out well.