{How to Make} Homemade Falafel Recipe - Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

Why does my homemade falafel fall apart? ›

If the mixture is too wet, the falafel has a tendency to fall apart when being fried so please pat dry the ingredients before using them. If you find the mixture is too wet, simply add little more breadcrumbs. The falafel mixture after prepared can be shaped by hand or with a tool called an alb falafel (falafel mold).

Falafel is made from fava beans or chickpeas, or a combination of both. Falafel is usually made with fava beans in Egyptian cuisine, where it most likely originated, with chickpeas in Palestinian cuisine, or just chickpeas or a combination of both in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and the wider Middle East.

There are three types of falafel--Traditional falafel, baked falafel and lemon falafel. “Where the traditional falafel is the basic fried falafel comprising a mix of chickpeas, onions, garlic, herbs and spices, baked falafels are made using fresh herbs in the chickpea mixture,” says Chef Sati from Ophelia.

Turns out that dried chickpeas are essential to good falafel. See, canned chickpeas have already been cooked. Starch molecules within them have already burst and released their sticky contents, much of which get washed away in the cooking liquid, leaving the remaining chickpeas with very little clinging power.

A binding ingredient can help keep it together, especially if you are using canned beans instead of dried. And the perfect binding ingredient for falafel is flour. Nothing fancy, just plain all-purpose flour. Add a few tablespoons at a time to your mixture, until you can press it easily into balls or patties.

Baking soda — It may seem odd to add baking soda to a savory recipe, but it helps keeps the interior texture of the falafels fluffy.

Researchers have found that falafel has many health benefits. It is high in fibre as it contains vegetables, legumes (beans, chickpeas, or almonds), and olive oil, all of which can help people stay healthy and maintain an optimal weight while reducing their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure.

The origins of the falafel can be traced back to Egypt, which is located between Africa and the Middle East. Egyptians are said to eat falafels every day. In fact, falafels are considered their national dish. Falafels reached North America and Germany in the 20th century.

In the Mediterranean, many staples in both Muslim and Jewish tables of the period were pareve. This includes falafels and hummus, which are made of chickpeas, salads, and flatbreads. All pareve foods would count as halal regardless.

Eating uncooked falafel that has been left out for a few hours can pose a risk of foodborne illness due to bacteria growth. Bacteria can multiply rapidly in foods left at room temperature, potentially causing digestive issues or food poisoning.

Is falafel Israeli or Arab? ›

Falafel was made popular in Israel by Yemeni Jews in the 1950s. They brought with them the chickpea version of the dish from Yemen and introduced the concept of serving falafel balls in pita bread. And the way the Israeli falafel is served is, in my opinion, the main reason why Israeli falafel is truly, well, Israeli.

Egyptian Falafel is made with Fava beans, and Syrian Falafel, just like Israeli and Lebanese falafel is made with chick-peas. Jordanian/Palestinian Falafel is made the same way.

The moisture in the pre cooked beans make the falafels soggy and fall apart whereas frying the uncooked chickpeas makes them crispier.

Falafel have to be crispy on the outside yet soft and fluffy in the inside. They have to have enough fresh herbs and onion. Too much onion and your falafel will have a bad after taste. Too little and they won't be as moist and fluffy as they should be.

Chickpeas are made up of oligosaccharides, sugars that are also found in other foods like rye, onions, and garlic. Since they are highly concentrated in chickpeas, a lot of it has to pass through our system, causing longer and more severe bouts of bloating or uneasiness.

Chilled falafel mixture is less likely to break apart during frying. Aim for at least 30 minutes to let the mixture firm up and enhance its structural integrity, this will also give the baking soda time to soak into the mixture.

To help out, I often stir a little flour into the mixture along with some baking powder — the flour binds the falafel together while the baking powder helps keep them from being too dense. Resting the mixture overnight before baking the patties also helps them hold together a little better.

Don't pack your patties too tightly.

Form the falafel balls gently, and if your mixture isn't holding together, pulse it a bit more in the food processor until it sticks together. If it's still too crumbly, pop it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes before shaping and baking the patties.

Chill the mixture: Before forming your falafels, chill the mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help to firm up the mixture and prevent it from falling apart during cooking. Don't over-mix the mixture: Over-mixing the mixture can cause the falafel to become dense and soft.