FOOD - Mideastern, Greek, whatever

[Kayak Jack]

The current issue of Sea Kayaker Magazine (the one with Bambii's picture on page# 26) talks about camp meals on pages 16-17. They mentioned "falafel". Well - another challenge.

Off to the grocery store I go and get some. Well - what do you know! Mediterranian gree-itz! Or, the eastern version of refrito frijoles. Another simple meal for camp. Made from a store-bought mix, it can also be made at home & dehydratred, or made fresh in camp.

The base is garbanzo beans (chick peas to our suthrin bruthrin). Add some flour to make it into a dough, flavor it up with some garlic, parsley, onion, and lemon juice. Mix that up, and drop 1" balls into hot oil in a frying pan, & flatten them a bit. About 3 minutes to the side. Three of these fried balls in a pita bread half, along with lettuce, cucumbers, & yogurt makes a tasty sandwich.

If you leave out the flour and eat it as a cold spread, it's humus. Smears out nicely on white flour tortillas, and goes well with chopped onions & tabasco. Sometimes it helps to wash it down with your favoirtie sudsy-type beverage.

 

[Jean]

Love that Falafal!

Falafel


1 can or 2 cups (500 ml) cooked chickpeas,
drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped onion
1/4 cup (60 ml) cilantro or parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying

Mash the chickpeas with a fork until coarsely mashed, then combine with all the ingredients except the oil in a mixing bowl and add the flour,
stirring to combine thoroughly. Form the mixture into four to six
patties, using wet hands to help prevent the mixture from sticking.
Heat 1/2 inch (1 cm) of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet until the
surface shimmers and fry the patties about 3 or 4 minutes on each
side, until golden. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve

I usually fix mine up just like I would a hamburger! yummy

Jean :wink:

 

[Kayak Jack]

Re: Love that Falafal!

Jean,

To my unpracticed eye, Falafel looks like fried humus. What differences are there?

 

[Jean]

Hummus

Jack, your untrained eye is better than most. I think the real difference is the consistency and the fact that you need tahani (sesame butter) and olive oil to make the garbanzo beans into more of a spread. The hummus is more pureed than the falafal, at least that is the way I do it, though I think eating the falafal without the flour would work fine just like you said. I forgot to put garlic in my falafal recipe. I use it in both hummus and falafal.

My personal opinion is that any recipe is subject to be used the way you want to use it. I don't hold to the notion that it has to be this and no other way. I don't think any new recipes would ever be created if people held strictly to following a recipe or used it exactly they way someone else said they should. My two cents worth! :lol: Ptomaine Jack adds, "Modification in everything!"

Jean

A friend is a gift you give yourself! :wink: