Falafel: Fa-la-la-la-la-fel
Falafel is a very light word. Other than the vowels, all it really has are the letters f and l: two airy, flying, and almost musical letters that make up the lovely and much adored fa and la of the solfège. You could almost sing fa-la-la-la-la-fel this Christmas instead of the usual fa-la-la-la-la…, or have a falafel patty instead of a burger this weekend, and be totally fine.
I’ve been trying to cut back on meat recently. I know I could never be vegetarian for fear that I would lose the animal instinct in me. I have so much respect for vegetarians. They strike me as saintly creatures, with the will of hermits and inoffensiveness of angels. I love meat and feel no guilt at all chewing and swallowing innocent animals so I don’t risk becoming a vegetarian anytime soon. But reducing my consumption of flesh is something I can easily do, especially if using protein-rich alternatives like peas or beans.
Eating meatless shouldn’t mean giving up flavor or settling for a less-than-satisfying meal. In fact, falafels are so tasty, I wouldn’t be surprised if they became a favorite of yours that makes you drool more than the juiciest of burgers. Chickpeas are quite substantial, and when mixed with cilantro, garlic, onion and spices become one of the most appetite-teasing, taste bud-pleasing foods.
I googled fa-la-la-la-la-fel after writing this post to see if anyone out there had thought about playing with the word the way I did, and found a funny song that I thought I’d show here. Enjoy!
Falafel with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Makes about 8 falafels
For the falafels:
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
30 sprigs fresh cilantro (or about 2 handfuls)
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons cornstarch (or all-purpose flour)
½ cup cornmeal
1 cup vegetable or canola oil, for frying
For the cucumber yogurt sauce:
½ cup peeled and chopped cucumbers
5 ounces plain yogurt
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Place the chickpeas, cilantro, onion, and garlic in a food processor and process until reduced to a paste. Transfer to a medium bowl and mix in the salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, cayenne and flour until well blended.
Heat the oil until very hot. Place the cornmeal in a shallow dish. Shape the mixture into patties and dredge them into the cornmeal. Fry the patties until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 4 minutes per side.
Process the cucumbers, yogurt, salt and pepper in a food processor until puréed. If you prefer a more unctuous sauce, mix in a teaspoon of olive oil or mayonnaise.
Serve the falafels hot alongside the cucumber yogurt sauce, some pita bread and tomato slices.
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Saveurs et Gourmandises — 12/06/2009 @ 12:54 pm
Je découvre ton blog. Il me plait.
De plus, je tombe sur les falafels que j'adore.
Comme toi, je ne pourrai jamais devenir une vraie végétarienne même s'il m'arrive de ne pas manger de viande pendant un moment.
A bientôt.
Nisrine Merzouki — 12/06/2009 @ 2:01 pm
Merci de m'avoir laissé un commentaire–ça fait plaisir de trouver un message en Français. A très bientôt j'espère.
Sylvie — 12/07/2009 @ 5:30 am
J'adore les falafels et ta sauce au comcombre doit être savoureuse !
Mammazan — 12/07/2009 @ 7:43 am
Merci pour votre visite (mon francois est terrible!!!) J'aime le fafalfel et je l'ai manger a Bagdad toute le jour !!
baci
La table lorraine d'Amélie — 12/07/2009 @ 7:24 pm
Merci pour la gentille visite.
Un beau plat et la sauce concombre est sympa.
themuffintinpost — 12/07/2009 @ 10:23 pm
Hi, Nisrine! Thanks for stopping by. I cannot wait to try your falafel recipe – falafel is hands down, no competition my favorite, favorite snack food. Yum!
elislunch — 05/11/2010 @ 12:30 am
made these tonight. they were delicious, my son ate 2 of them.
Nisrine Merzouki — 05/11/2010 @ 12:44 am
I'm so glad to hear that. My family loves falafel as well. My daughter thinks they're chicken nuggets and wolfs them down!