Let’s begin with the “whatnot” shall we?
Our hearts & proverbial plates are full in this moment, too full.
Accordingly it has became a personal priority to make sure my literal dinner plate doesn’t follow suit.
Could care less about ducking the “quarantine 15”.
The goal is simple & pragmatic.
Stay as healthy as possible, mentally & physically for as long as possible.
Instead of indulging to excess, I continue to experiment with healthful comfort food. (See my posts on Eggplant Fries & Bison Picadillo).
Enter Falafel.
Can I just say I’ve had some terrible falafel in my day? Oil-drenched nuggets of terror.
I’ve had mediocre falafel. Slightly sandy in texture & flavor but edible, I suppose, especially tucked in a pita with a great hummus or killer tzatziki.
And I’ve had falafel so light, crisp, and freakin’ herbaceous, mamas were slapped.
Plural.
More than one Mama was slapped.
To be perfectly honest, not a lot separates those three falafels.
Falafel is easy to make, nutritious, economical, & freezes well. I am not offering a recipe, because, well, I am not sure if it even requires a recipe. I make it differently, to taste, each time. Garbanzo beans, herbs, spices are the constants.
But if you want yours to always be swoon-worthy, voila.
Here’s what you should know.
1. Use Dried Chickpeas.
Canned garbanzo beans won’t give you what you need. No exception. Soak your chickpeas overnight, covered with water. Do so in a much larger bowl than you think you need to allow them to fully re-hydrate.
2. Load up on your cumin & green herbs. Don’t skip the cardamom.
Don’t skimp. Like all bean dishes, falafel demands to be well seasoned. Use more than your recipe/common sense calls for.
3. Don’t make ’em huge.
They aren’t matzo balls in soup or giant meatballs slow cooked in sauce. They are fried. If you make them too large their centers will be grainy-pasty and outsides will be hard as a rock.
4. Fry. Don’t Bake.
I know, I know. They are supposed to be healthful, right? And Pinterest is packed with baked falafel recipes with images that are just fine. Fight the urge. Baked falafel is mediocre at best. Try a shallow pan fry. Don’t over-fry. Don’t eat a million ’em. Still healthful,yep.
5. Tahini sauce… You need tahini sauce.
See my next post for a simple sauce that you will slather on, well, just about everything.
And I think that’ll do it. I love falafel in salad, in a bowl packed with veggies, or on their own.
Make your falafel sing.
You’ll crave it, if you don’t already.
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