Cookies Preferences
Jordan has superior falafel as far as I’m concerned. They’re fluffy and crispy, everything you want good falafel to be. My favorite meal from my first visit to Amman, when I married my husband, was a simple dinner in the kitchen after a day sunbathing down at the Dead Sea, the table covered in take away cartons filled with hot falafel, hummus, mutteble, shaata, tatbile (a lemon, garlic, and green chili sauce), pickles, tarator sauce, and Arabic bread. After the week of formal meals we had enjoyed in honor of our big day, this uncomplicated supper with only immediate family was comforting.
When we moved to Lebanon I have to say their falafel was the one disappointment on the food front for me. That was until I visited Em Sharif Café downtown. She included whole coriander seeds in her recipe. The pop and distinctive taste adding a whole new level of falafel satisfaction. So when I created my recipe I made sure to include her little trick along with lots of herbs and chickpea flour to keep them gluten free. The other elements in the bowl are inspired by the falafel sandwich as Ras Falafel in the Marais in Paris. I’ve spent many long minutes, in all weather, standing in line for their fabulous sandwich, eating them greedily while standing up among the boutiques and narrow cobblestone lanes of that neighborhood.
You can most definitely turn this into a sandwich if you prefer, just pile everything into a large Arabic bread and roll it up. I prefer it in a bowl where I can pick and choose what flavors I want to bring together when. It’s the perfect mix of textures and tastes and comfort. I bake the falafel, but you could fry them if you’re so inclined, just make sure that your oil isn’t so hot that the outside gets scorched while the middle remains raw (I’ve gotten them like this before and it’s not pleasant). And yes, this will be just about the only time I urge you to use dried chickpeas, not canned to make your falafel. Moisture content, magic, chemistry makes this a crucial step.
for the Herby Falafel
1 cup dry chickpeas
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 cups water
1 clove garlic, grated on microplane
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons falafel spice
juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
2 teaspoons sea salt
¼ cup chickpea flour
olive oil
for the Hummus
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
for the Tarator Sauce
4 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 garlic clove, grated on microplane
for the Pickled beets
2 large beets, peeled and thinly sliced on microplane
½ cup water
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
for the Quick Pickled Red Cabbage
2 cups very thinly shredded red cabbage
2 teaspoons sea salt
for the Roasted Eggplant Slices
1 eggplant cut into ¼ inch thick rounds
salt and pepper
olive oil
To make the falafel soak the chickpeas in the water with the baking soda overnight. Drain well and dry as much as possible. In a food processor blend the soaked chickpeas along with the garlic, cilantro, green onions until you have a chunky paste. Now mix in the spices, lemon juice, and chickpea flour. Combine well. Using a small ice cream scoop form small balls with the mixture and place on a well-oiled baking sheet. Drizzle the falafels with a bit more olive oil and place in 180/390 degree oven for 10 minutes before flipping them over and cooking an additional 10-15 minutes. They should be crispy.
To make the hummus combine all of the ingredients in a food processor. If it needs to be thinned out add cold water until it’s smooth but still holds its shape.
To make the tarator whisk together everything vigorously. It might split before it becomes a cohesive sauce. Have faith it will eventually become a silky delicious sauce.
To make the pickled beets mix together the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar until salt and sugar dissolves. Add raw sliced beets to jar. Let sit for at least 2 days.
Massage the salt into the cabbage and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Make the eggplant slices by tossing the slices of eggplant in a generous amount of olive oil before placing on parchment lined baking sheet. Season with salt and place in a 200/400 degree oven. Cook until soft and starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes.
To assemble the bowl place some hummus at the bottom of your bowl. Add the hot falafel balls, quick pickled cabbage, eggplant slices, pickled beetroot and drizzle with tarator sauce and place a dollop of shaata on the side. Add some whole mint leaves to garnish.
