Diwali 2008

I cooked a lot this yr ... and posting some pictures from Diwali ...will also post other pictures of food I cooked through the year and recipes will follow :)


Stuffed Gobhi


Dum Aloo

Falafel

Hello everyone, I know I haven't posted in ages but I have cooked like crazy all this while..There just hasn't been time.I took pictures,thinking all the time of posting them here but...if wishes were horses ,I would be flying by now ..

Things have changed and happened and those I will talk of another time but today I wanted to post my falafel recipe here :)

Falafel also known in Egypt and Sudan as ta'meya,is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezze (snack or tapas).

The word "falafel" is the plural of the Arabic word(filfil),meaning pepper.Variant spellings in English include falafel and filafil.

Falafel is generally served in pita bread, either inside the pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flat pita. In many countries, falafel is a popular street food or fast food. The falafel balls, whole or crushed, may be topped with salads, pickled vegetables and hot sauce, and drizzled with tehina (tahini). Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze. During Ramadan, they are sometimes eaten as part of an iftar, the meal which breaks the daily fast after sunset. find more info here..So , ready for some felafel??

You need
1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons flour
Salt to taste
Pepper
Oil for frying

This is how you make it:
Soak dried chickpeas in a bowl,overnight.After soaking overnight , boil them. If using canned beans, no need for this step.Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander,cumin,salt and pepper(to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.Mash chickpeas, mixing all the ingredients thoroughly.Feel free to mix everything in a food processor to get a thick paste.

Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball and flatten slightly.Deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Serve hot with hummus or tahini .