Falafel: The dish of 2020

Recipe by Chef Dalia

Something good is happening to the falafel. Our favorite and most popular vegetarian dish in Israel is finally getting the respect it deserves, ranking high from the street food, food courts and take-out, straight to the front stage. Even Apple, the ultimate trend forecaster, is getting behind the up-and coming falafel by announcing that the Falafel emoji is finally here!

2020 seems to be the year of the falafel. The Israeli national snack is taking over the world. And now, more and more chefs are talking about this delicious dish from the Middle East. Mid-level to fine-dining restaurants are reviving the modest, spiced patty by previsualizing it in new and delicious ways. More and more new falafel shops are opening up all over the United States.

Falafel has been on my menu since day one, and there’s no way it will ever leave the menu. For me, it’s really important that people know it’s more than just an Israeli national snack. It’s a special, even celebratory, dish that can be enjoyed anytime, especially on festive occasions. Just a few months ago, my husband and I celebrated our triplet boys’ b’nai mitzvah. On the menu was ribeye steak, sushi and falafel. It was no surprise to hear the falafel took over and was a hit.

When I started the culinary chapter of my life in 2002, it was the falafel stand at the Israeli fest at that time that put me on the map of local cuisine. After my first falafel, it was impossible to go back. People loved it, and it became an integral part of the menu. Later, it led to the successful opening of “Dalia Hemed’s Tasteful Affairs.”

Even today, I remember the great falafel days of my childhood. My grandmother adopted her Egyptian neighbor’s recipe, serving hot Falafel balls in her restaurant in Jaffa. The scent filled the air throughout the neighborhood and attracted the children of Jaffa to my grandmother’s restaurant.

Personal Chef Dalia Hemed can be reached at daliahemed@msn.com.

She made the falafel using a manual meat grinder. I remember standing next to her. First, the mustard-colored snakes came out of the machine. Then, the green snakes of the coriander and parsley, and then the white snakes of the onion. I was fascinated. When I grew up, she let me turn the knob and grind it myself. The falafel was made of local chickpeas. She rarely used dry spices, and she cooked with fresh herbs. Simple food with deep flavors. That’s how I cook to this day.

My Grandma Dalia’s kitchen has had a great influence on my kitchen over the years.

Although I still considered her falafel as one of the best in Israel, when I approached the dish, my way was a bit different. I wanted a gluten-free falafel, so I removed the challah from the original recipe. In the absence of challah that raises the sweetness. I decided to use a mountain of fresh red onion for a natural sweetness. But the onion causes the mixture to be too liquidy - a disaster in terms of frying. Not to worry, as my solution is simple. I drain the vegetable mixture well after grinding it in a food processor. Then I grind chickpeas (after soaking them overnight in water) and combine the two masses. Also, I add baking soda. The addition of a teaspoon of baking soda makes the patties light and fluffy, for a crispy ball that is to die for.

Over the years, I have not served falafel in pita. The modern way was made from four patties on a plate with hummus, tahini, pickled lemon and schug sauce, with pita on the side. I made my falafel balls large, and there is no need for pita. I found a new mess-free way of eating falafel.

Falafel is a vegan, gluten-free, relatively inexpensive and balanced dish. It’s a great combination for the human body and, not to mention, very tasty. You get a whole meal. In Egypt, falafel was made from fava beans, in Syria and Lebanon — from chickpeas (hummus). What makes the dish Israeli is the decision to make it a pita sandwich with a large variety of salads, tahini and spicy schug. Although I grew up on the Egyptian flavors (with fava beans), I can testify that in a taste test, the chickpeas won.

Today, with those memories from home, I wanted whoever makes and eats this falafel recipe to take one bite and experience an explosion of flavors: bitter, sweet, salty, sour. That’s what happiness is! Unfortunately, one happiness I will not get to experience is that my grandmother will not eat my falafel. But if there is a paradise, surely the wonderful, hot falafel balls are served in it.

Ingredients

1 pound chickpeas (soaked overnight in water, filtered and washed) 2 large purple onions 10 garlic cloves 1/2 bunch parsley 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. coriander ½ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. hot paprika 1 tsp. baking soda 1 Tbsp. salt Frying oil Pita to serve (optional)

Preparation

1. Soak chickpeas in a large bowl with plenty of water. Leave to soak for 8 to 10 hours — overnight is best. Drain and wash chickpeas well.

2. Grind the chickpeas in a food processor to a smooth mash and transfer to a bowl. (No need to rinse the container after processing the chickpeas)

3. Add onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro to the food processor container and grind to a fine paste. Transfer the pureé to a colander and squeeze.

4. Add the ground vegetables, cumin, coriander, black pepper, paprika, baking soda and salt to the bowl of ground chickpeas and mix until smooth.

5. Form balls about the size of a pingpong ball. Place them on tray, ready to be deep-fried.

6. Heat frying oil in a deepfryer or large pot about 3 inches deep so the falafel balls will float.

7. On medium heat, deep fry the falafels in the oil for about 5 to 6 minutes each.

8. When done, drain on a paper towel to absorb extra oil.

9. Continue until all the balls are deep-fried.

10. Serve with Israeli salad, hummus, tahini, pickled lemon and schug sauce inside a pita or with pita on the side.