Falafel: homemade recipe

Many Russians, having been on vacation in Egypt, Israel, Jordan, other countries of the Middle East or North Africa, have become addicted to fragrant and spicy Mediterranean cuisine. Couscous, kebab and other delicacies are difficult to reproduce in our kitchens, due to the lack of authentic products on the shelves. Muscovites until recently rescued a specialized restaurant "Royal Falafel", but it is now closed. What to do? How to cook a vegetarian dish, which is a small toasty ball from a pea, also called chickpeas?

We will try to build on our own strength from the improvised materials a dish that is as close as possible to the falafel. Since it is popular in different countries, then, accordingly, there are Lebanese, Israeli, Jordanian and other recipes. Cooking of the Middle East often uses as a basis for dishes various legumes. In the local climate, many of their species grow: lentils, chickpeas, cannellini. But we, in our harsh conditions of the North, can take simple peas (whole or crushed).

How to cook falafel? The recipe recommends taking chickpeas in the amount of one and a half cups and soaking it overnight (you can add a small amount of small beans). Drain off excess water, swollen beans thoroughly crush in a blender until the formation of gruel. In our markets, it is not a problem to get dry oriental spices. We take on a teaspoon of zira, coriander, turmeric, a pinch of ginger, several nucleoli of any nuts, a little fry in a skillet without oil and grind in a coffee grinder. Two medium bulbs, three cloves of garlic and a bunch of parsley (or cilantro) finely chop.

Combine together the peas, onions, herbs and spices, salt, beat the egg and, stirring, add five tablespoons with a glass of flour. You got a dough for falafel. The recipe prescribes with hands to form small koloboks from it and fry them in vegetable oil, so that they are browned from the outside, but do not bake until ready. If the dough collapses, add a little flour to it. Naturally, the balls must be regularly turned over so that they become evenly golden in color. Then put them on a paper towel to get rid of excess fat. Uniformly place the balls on a baking tray and put in the oven for medium heat to bake from inside for about 20 minutes.

With what do you eat falafel? The recipe strongly advises to serve it with tahini sauce. It is pasta made from the seeds of oriental sesame (sesame). In tahinu add chopped garlic, salt and lemon juice. Who managed to get this exotic product, he can make an authentic dressing for his dish. Those who could not do this should try to build dressing "in Russian". For him, take half the glass of mayonnaise and sour cream, greens of dill, marjoram, several cloves of garlic, spices (turmeric, red pepper or paprika), ground nuts, salt and all the ingredients are mixed with a whisk. Then add a few drops of lemon juice, for acid. Combine the falafel recipe with fresh vegetable salads and pita - if this is the main dish. If you serve pea koloboks as a snack or aperitif, you can put in a separate bowl different olives, cheese, hummus.