FamiLY Pro]EcT

Boss Burgers!

Help celebrate
Israel's birthday
month with the
country's most
famous dish,
falafel.

Falafel is
Israel's
answer
to the
hamburger.

Elizabeth Applebaum

o the novice, falafel is little
more than chickpeas that are
ground, fried, then mixed up
with some vegetables and stuck in

pita:
To the connoisseur, every nuance —
the crispiness, the spices, the density
— can mean the difference between
a work of art and a hard, tasteless
ball that should never, ever have seen
the light of day.
Ask any resident of Israel and he
will assure you, "Eat the falafel at
Moshe's Place; never go to Top
Falafel unless you want to get sick."
Or, "House of Falafel used to be the
best, but they've changed the recipe
and ...
So what, exactly, is falafel?
Unlike the humble hamburger (meat,
bread crumbs, ketchup, eggs), the
falafel can include any number of
ingredients. Key, however, is chick-

peas.
Your family can enjoy a great
evening preparing (and then eating,
of course) various kinds of falafel.
Consider hosting a falafel-making
night, with each person creating his
own masterpiece from an array of
possible ingredients.
Once you've got them all cooked
here are some ideas for what to add
to the sandwich:

tehina
yogurt
hummous
sunflower seeds
cooked eggplant
olives
onion
lettuce
turnip slices
hot sauce
cabbage
cheese
rice
jalapeno (or other hot) pepper

mushrooms
tomatoes
cucumbers

Meanwhile, here are a few recipes
you might want to try:

BASIC FALAFEL RECIPE
8 oz. dry chickpeas, soaked
overnight
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
1 t. baking powder
1 t. turmeric
1 t. chili powder
1 t. paprika
1 t cumin
1 t. oil plus, for frying

In food processor, grind chickpeas
with onion, garlic and 1 t. of oil (add
more if necessary, so mixture moves

freely in machine). Remove and add
spices and baking powder.
Shape into small balls and deep-fry in
hot oil, about five minutes. Drain.
Serve hot.

FALAFEL FOR DIABETICS
3 c. garbanzo beans, cooked
1 T. lemon juice
1/2 c. chopped onion
2 T. whole-wheat flour
1/4 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. parsley
1/4 c. sesame seeds
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 t. garlic powder •
2T. oil

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In
food processor or blender, mix beans,
lemon and onion. Remove, then stir in
flour, wheat germ, parsley, sesame
seeds, pepper and garlic powder.
Make into balls (about 20).
Heat oil in large baking dish,
add falafel, and bake for 15 min-

Yes, it% true — there really is a
Web page devoted to falafel.
Check it out at: http://staff.feld-
oerg.brandeis_edu/–davidn/falaf

el.htrn
• To see the "Falafel" comic strip
by Tom Reiner, go to: http://wild-
cat.arizona.edu/papers/90/68/
c. html
,txpecting every relative you
have for falafel? Now you can
order your very own falafel maker
om Israel on the Web. Do not
dude the hyphen when entering
following address (yes, with all
zeros):
ttp://wWw.partush.co.il/home -
pages/Eng-
ish/008269660000000000/#

utes, stirringoccasionally.
1 serving (5 falafel) = 434 calories,
9 grams fat, 56 grams carbohydrates

FAVA FALAFEL
1 c. fava-bean flour (made with
crushed, dried fava beans)
1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds
I t. baking powder
Dash onion powder
Sea salt, to taste
Dash garlic powder
1 t. dried parsley
2 T. oil

Combine all ingredients and mix with
about 3/4 cup water (add more if
necessary). Let sit for 15 minutes, then
form into small balls or patties. Fry in
very hot oil (preferably safflower).
When balls are completely cooked
(deep brown, but watch so they don't
burn), place on paper towels to drain
excess oil.

❑

4/23
1999

Detroit Jewish News

75

