Falafel

Falafel is a tasty deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter that comes from Egypt. It is a popular food in Middle Eastern cuisine, especially in the Levant area. Falafel is made from ground fava beans, chickpeas, or both, mixed with herbs and spices before frying.

People often enjoy falafel inside a flatbread like pita, samoon, laffa, or taboon. The falafel balls can be topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. They can also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze tray.

Falafel is a favorite street food across the Middle East. In Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula, it is usually made with fava beans, while in the Levant, it is typically made with chickpeas or a mix of both. The dish has also been part of discussions during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with both sides claiming it as their own.

Etymology

The word falāfil comes from Arabic and means "pepper." It is related to words in Persian, Sanskrit, and Aramaic. Over time, the name falafel has been used in many places around the world.

In Egypt and Sudan, falafel is called ṭaʿmiyya, which means "a little piece of food" or "small tasty thing." Whether you call it falafel or ṭaʿmiyya, it refers to the tasty fried balls or patties, often enjoyed in sandwiches.

History and distribution

The origin of falafel is not known for sure, but it most likely started in Egypt. Some believe it may go back to very old times, but the first written mentions are from the 1800s. Because Alexandria is a port city, falafel spread to other parts of the Middle East. After World War 1, it moved from Egypt to places like Beirut, Yemen, Libya, Turkey, and Mandatory Palestine.

Falafel became more popular in Israel after 1949, especially because its ingredients were easy for everyone to get. It was also inexpensive and easy to make. The idea of serving falafel in a pita bread sandwich became popular after Israel’s independence, helped by Jewish Yemeni refugees. Factors that helped falafel spread include its low cost, ease of storage and preparation, and convenience for eating.

Falafel is a common street food or fast food in Egypt, the Levant, and across the Middle East. It is often eaten as part of meze or during Ramadan as part of the iftar meal. In Israel, chickpea-based falafel is widely recognized as a national dish and popular street food.

Migration of Arabs and Turks brought falafel to Europe, especially Germany, where it was first eaten mainly by migrants but later became popular with the wider public. In North America, falafel was initially found only in Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Jewish areas but by the 1990s, it became a common street food in many cities.

Falafel is also popular with vegetarians and vegans as a meat-free alternative to traditional street foods and is used in various recipes like veggie burgers, meatloaf, sloppy joes, and spaghetti and meatballs.

Preparation and variations

Falafel is made from fava beans, chickpeas, or a mix of both. In Egypt, it is usually made with fava beans, while in Israel and Palestine, chickpeas are more common. In Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and other parts of the Middle East, people use either chickpeas or a mix of both. The chickpea version is the most popular in many other places.

When making falafel with chickpeas, they are soaked overnight, sometimes with baking soda, and then ground with ingredients like parsley, scallions, and garlic. Spices such as cumin and coriander are often added for flavor. The mixture is shaped into balls or patties and then deep-fried, though it can also be baked in an oven. Sometimes falafel is shaped with a special tool called an aleb falafel. It can be ball-shaped or other shapes, and sometimes has green bits from herbs or sesame seeds on top.

Falafel is often served in flatbread or stuffed inside a pita bread. It can also be eaten with unleavened bread and comes with toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and tahini sauce.

Nutrition

Falafel is made mostly of water, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. When you eat 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces) of homemade falafel, it gives you around 333 calories. It is a good source of folate, minerals, and fiber. You can also bake falafel instead of frying it to use less fat.

Politics

Main article: Politics of food in the Arab-Israeli conflict

Falafel has become important in discussions about culture in the Middle East. Some people argue about where the dish truly comes from.

There are also discussions about how the dish is used in Israeli cuisine, especially since the chickpea version is very popular there. Some people from Palestine and other Arab countries feel that this is not right, as they believe the dish belongs to their culture too.