Most of us think of falafel only as something to be eaten when we are out and feel like trying something we won't make at home. Without even knowing why, we think that making falafel is difficult and can only be done in a restaurant using special, hard to find ingredients. That thinking is wrong on all points. Using your electric griddle and just a few, commonly found ingredients, you can make these delicious falafel patties in just a few minutes. This is a great recipe and even if you are not a vegetarian you will love the crispy taste of these patties.
History is a bit vague on the origins of falafel but most historians agree that Egypt was the first source of this food. Generally it is made with chick peas or fava beans or a mixture of both. Recently it has become a very common street vendor food and a symbol of Middle Eastern cooking.
What The Heck Is A Chickpea?
For many years most Americans found chickpeas only on a salad bar. Larger cities that had pockets of ethnic restaurants exposed some people to different uses of a chickpea but it was only recently that its use spread. A chickpea is a legume, like a peanut. It's main nutritional plus is that it is very high in protein. It can be ground up into flour, used in soups and salads and is a staple in vegetarian restaurants. Over 60% of the world's chickpea crop comes from India and it is used extensively in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. This recipe is for falafel patties to be made on an electric griddle. They can also be made on a stove top but the electric griddle makes it much easier to flip the patty.Falafel Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 1 can (15 ounce) Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Brown Rice, cooked
- 1 cup Cilantro
- 1 cup Flat-leaf Parsley
- 1 tsp. Curry Powder
- ¼ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
- 1 tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¾ cup Breadcrumbs
Instructions:
- Sauté onion and garlic until onion is soft and garlic is golden. Set aside to cool.
- Put the sautéed onion and garlic n a blender.
- Add the chickpea, cilantro, parsley, rice, curry powder and cayenne powder.
- Pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and evenly distributed.
- Put the mixture into a bowl and add in the lemon juice and ¼ cup of breadcrumbs. Keep the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.
- Knead the chickpea mixture with hands and form the patties.
- Coat the patties lightly with remaining breadcrumbs.
- Heat the electric griddle and brush lightly with oil.
- Cook patties for 4 minutes on each side until light brown.
- Serve with pita bread or any dipping.
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