Falafel facts for kids
Falafel is a yummy vegetarian food. It is a deep-fried ball or patty. It's usually made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Spices are added to give it flavor. Falafel is then shaped into a ball or a flat disc and fried until it's crispy. This dish first came from Egypt. Today, it is a very popular fast food in the Middle East. People often eat it as a mezze, which means a small dish or appetizer.
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What the Word "Falafel" Means
The word "falafel" is pronounced (fuh-lah-full). In Egypt and Sudanese Arabic, it is called Ta'amiyya (طعمية). The Arabic word "falafel" (falāfil) might come from the word for 'pepper' (فلفل). It can also describe something fluffy or crunchy.
How Falafel is Served
Falafel is often served in a pita-like bread. This bread is sometimes called lafa. You can find falafel inside the bread like a pocket, or wrapped in a flat bread. In many countries, falafel is a popular street food or fast food.
The falafel balls can be whole or crushed. They are often topped with fresh salads, pickled vegetables, and hot sauce. A creamy tahini sauce is usually drizzled on top. You can also eat falafel balls by themselves as a snack. Sometimes they are part of a larger meal called a mezze. During Ramadan, people sometimes eat falafel as part of iftar. This is the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset.
A Quick History of Falafel
Falafel was first made using fava beans. As the dish became popular further north, chickpeas were more common. So, chickpeas started to be used instead. Chickpeas have been eaten in the Levant for a very long time, even before 4000 BC.
One idea is that falafel was created about 1000 years ago by the Egyptian Copts. They may have brought it with them as they moved around the Middle East. Another idea suggests falafel might be even older, from the 6th century AD or earlier. Some think it might have started in India, where many dishes are made with chickpeas.
What Falafel is Made Of
Falafel can be made from fava beans, chickpeas, or a mix of both. In Egypt, people use only fava beans. In other places, like Palestine, Yemenite Jews in Jerusalem, Syria, and Lebanon, falafel is usually made only with chickpeas.
Unlike many other bean patties, the beans for falafel are not cooked first. Instead, they are soaked in water. Sometimes their skins are removed. Then, the soaked beans are ground up. A small amount of onions, parsley, and spices like cumin are added. A little baking soda might also be added. The mixture is then deep fried in hot oil. Sometimes, sesame seeds are put on the falafel balls before frying. This is common when falafel is eaten alone, not in a sandwich.
Today, falafel made with chickpeas is very popular. People from the Middle East living in other countries have helped make it famous. However, falafel made with fava beans is still most common in Egypt and Sudan. Egyptians often say that chickpea falafel is not as good as their fava bean version.
In Israel, falafel balls are often small, about 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) wide. In Egypt and among Palestinians, larger patties are made. They use a spoon or a special scoop to drop them into the hot oil.
Different Falafel Styles
The type of bread used for falafel can be different. Outside the Middle East, pita bread is often used. It forms a pocket that is filled with falafel and other ingredients. In Arab countries, a round bread called khubz (or 'eish' in Egypt) is often used. It is cut in half and wrapped around the falafel.
The usual sauce for falafel is tahini. This is a paste made from sesame seeds, thinned with water and lemon juice. Hummus (chickpeas pureed with tahini) is rarely used as a sauce in Arab countries. Common salad ingredients include tomato and parsley. In Lebanon, parsley is often mixed with chopped mint leaves. Pickles are also popular in Syria and Lebanon. These can be pink pickled turnips or pickled cucumbers.
Recently, some falafel has been made with a filling. This might be ground meat, minced onions, or a boiled egg. These fillings are wrapped inside the uncooked falafel mixture, then deep fried. Salads or the pita bread itself might be seasoned with salt or sumac. Sumac is a spice often used in Syria.
Egyptian Falafel (Ta'amiyya)
Egyptian Falafel is made from Phaseolus vulgaris or fried Vicia faba beans.
Syrian Falafel
Syrian falafel is made from fava beans with ground chickpeas. It is often fried in a pretzel shape with a hole in the middle. It is also coated with sesame seeds.
Images for kids
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Falafel sandwich in pita
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Even after frying, the inside of a falafel stays soft.
See also
In Spanish: Faláfel para niños
