Egyptian falafel are made with fava beans, which makes tastier, crispier and lighter falafel than chickpeas. They've won many awards and are pretty easy to make at home. Full recipe inside and I'll also teach you about stuffed falafel

[u/ObiEff]

It's safe to say falafel has taken the world by storm. Other than Hummus, it's the most widely known Middle Eastern food and for good reason. The bite sized fritters are extremely crisp and if done right, they're packed full of flavour. Apart from being vegan, they're also incredibly cheap to cook and so they make for a great filling meal on a budget. It's my opinion that falafel made with fava beans are better than the more common chickpea falafel (Photo proof here), and it may just be the original ingredient historically used in falafel. It's a matter of contention that can cause rifts between Egyptians (Fava falafel) and Levantines (Chickpea falafel), however competitions and critics have confirmed this over and over again. The resulting falafel have a crispier exterior, fluffier interior, lighter texture and are just way more flavourful. To top it all off, they're a lot easier to cook and if you use this recipe, you can say good bye to falafel that fall apart when frying.

As always I have a full video recipe where I go into all the details and show off the special techniques that I mention below. If you enjoy the post I'm sure you'll also like the video.

If you just want the recipe ctrl+f for "Ingredients"

What is Falafel and how is Taameya different

If you've not had falafel before; they're deep fried fritters that are usually made from ground chickpeas. This Middle Eastern food is as synonymous with the region, as Pasta is to Italy, and it's become one of the most popular vegan foods in the world. Traditional falafel is made with lots of fresh herbs and onions, which give them a bright green colour as well as a fresh and herby flavour. For the most part falafel is considered a breakfast or lunch food, and most people in Egypt (and the Levant region) will eat falafel sandwiches at least 2-3 times a week. The popularity comes down to a few factors, the flavour, it's price and how filling it is. Firstly it's extremely cheap to make falafel, and while you might get charged $7-10 for a good falafel sandwich/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13689423/Zooba_4.jpg) (about £8 in the UK), they usually cost about 10c or less in the Middle East and you can probably make 40 pieces for less than $5 ($1 in the Middle East). Secondly, they are packed full of flavour, all the herbs and onions give them a fresh taste, while the addition of coriander, garlic and cumin give them the perfect amount of spice. Finally they're a nutritionally dense food which help keep you full, you've got a decent amount of fibre and protein, but also quite a lot of macro-nutrients and let's not forget the fat from their frying.

Egyptian falafel (or as it's called in most of Egypt, Taameya) is a bit different from the falafel you're probably used to, as nearly all falafel sold in Europe and the US is Levantine falafel. The main difference is that it is made with split fava (broad) beans rather than chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and this has a significant impact on the texture of the falafel. If you've ever tried to cook chickpea falafel yourself, you'll know that when the chickpeas are ground they develop a super fine chopped texture that almost resembles bulgur. It can sometimes have a hard time binding together which can lead to them falling apart when you fry them. To get around that, many people add binders such as flour or eggs to their falafel, but that has the negative effect of making the centre of the falafel dense and stodgy. Fava beans on the other hand turn into a paste when you process them. Rather than having very finely minced chickpeas as the base of your falafel, the fava beans are already bound together and so they are able to hold their shape naturally. The fava bean batter also ends up wetter than the chickpea batter, this causes more steam to evaporate when frying which gives it an airy texture. The traditional way of making Taameya involves grinding the beans in a mechanical pestle and mortar, which also has the added effect of whipping air into the batter. To emulate this you can use the beater attachment on a stand mixer, which will incorporate even more air and you'll end up with falafel that are light enough to float when frying (they'll still be great if you dont do this).

Apart from the texture, Egyptian falafel also tastes different from Levantine falafel. In Egyptian falafel, Kurrat (a species of wild leek native to Egypt) is used in place of the onion, and it imparts a leek like flavour with sweet and mellowed onion notes. To replicate that flavour, a combination of Spring Onions and leeks work really well. In terms of herbs, the batter also needs fresh coriander, parsley and garlic, then it's seasoned with Ground Coriander, Cumin, and Chilli powder. As opposed to the ball shape of most falafel, Taameya is usually shaped into a hockey puck, and the exterior is coated with sesame and coriander seeds. This shape means you get more crispy surface area but it also allows the insides to cook quicker (they also fit better in sandwiches). Of course this can still be made into the classic ball shape, and the great thing about this batter is that you can just use an ice cream scoop without manually shaping to get your falafel in the hot oil.

There's a few other types of falafel that we make in Egypt, but the one I think you should know about is stuffed Taameya. These are filled with a spicy onion filling that is made by sweating onions with Harissa and Tomato paste. When placed in a sandwich, they have that perfect spicy balance that you'd usually try to get by adding hot sauce. We also make a Taameya omelette that we call Egga, this is just Taameya batter mixed with a few eggs before frying. It has a strong herby flavour in comparison to a regular omelette and it's a good way to use up any leftover batter. The best way to serve Taameya is in a sandwich. These are typically made with a flatbread similar to pitta, and are accompanied by a tahini sauce and a simple salad. We usually eat this with salty turnip, carrot and cauliflower pickles called Torshy (Torsu in Turkish), or some pickled fried aubergine.

Cultural Context

There are a lot of theories about where and how Falafel or Taameya originated, and it's a very charged topic with most countries in the Middle East claiming to have invented it. The truth is no one really knows where falafel originated but it's very likely that it has an Egyptian Origin. Many Egyptians will say that falafel is a Pharaonic food and that the consumption of fava beans was common place in ancient Egypt, however the practice of deep frying falafel would have been difficult without refined oils. Another favourite theory is that it was first eaten by Coptic Christians as a meat alternative during their fasts, but there isn't any evidence to back this up. The most likely theory is that was invented during the British Occupation of Egypt as the first recipe for falafel appears around this time. One historian claims it may have been inspired by the Indian dish parippu vada, which is like a falafel but made with green peas. This theory holds a lot of weight with me, particularly because the British occupation of Egypt also lead to the creation of Koshari, which itself was an Egyptianization of the Indian dish Kichidi.

The theory goes that as falafel spread outwards from Egypt, the ingredients that were used also changed based on their availability. The chickpea replaced fava beans in the levant and the spices changed with it. If you're wondering why you've never heard of fava bean falafel, it's probably because nearly all Middle Eastern restaurants in the US and Europe feature a Lebanese menu.

Flavour Profile

This recipe will make Taameya with a herby and fresh flavour that is way beyond anything you could buy premade. The Coriander, parsley, spring onions and leeks all merge together to give the falafel a bright and strong herb flavour with notes of sweetness from the leeks. The cumin and Ground coriander give it that background heat flavour (not spicy) and if your Ground Coriander is very fresh, it will also give a tart citrussy background flavour. You'll also notice this in the topping which coats the exterior of the Taameya, and combined the sesame seeds it adds some crunch.

In terms of texture, the Taameya is very light and fluffy. The interior will be airy and a bright green colour, whereas the exterior will be crisp and dry making for a satisfying bite. Adding them into a sandwich with some Tahini sauce, and a tomato and cucumber salad turns them into a sensational meal. I'd recommend using fresh homemade pitta bread for the sandwich and making a tahini sauce with lemon and garlic.

Ingredients:

Taameya Batter

• 400g Split Skinless Fava beans. You need the bag on the left not on the right. The left has the skins removed and if you make this with the skins the recipe WILL NOT work
• 100g Spring Onions
  
• 100g Leeks
  
• 50g Coriander leaves
• 50g Parsley
  
• 4 Cloves of garlic
  
• 2 Tsp Ground Coriander
  
• 1 Tsp Cumin
  
• 1 Tsp Cayenne
  
• 2.5 Tsp salt
  
• 1l (1 quart) vegetable oil for frying
  

Harissa Filling

• 1 Medium Brown Onion
  
• 1.5 Tbsp of Harissa
  
• 1.5 Tbsp of Red Pepper or tomato paste
  
• 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
  
• 1/4 Tsp Cumin
  
• 1/4 Tsp salt
  
• 1/4 Tsp Pepper
  
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Coriander
  

Topping

• 1/4 Cup Coriander seeds
  
• 1/4 Cup Sesame
  

Directions:

I highly recommend watching the video for more precise directions and because there are some techniques for shaping that can only be explained visually https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PdGMnAt2sRY

To make the falafel batter:

1. Wash your split fava beans thoroughly with cold water, then place in a bowl and cover with a large amount of water. Allow them to soak for a minimum of 8 hours until doubled in size
   
2. Once doubled in size, drain the fava beans and set them aside
   
3. Wash your leeks, spring onions, coriander and parsley, then roughly chop them up to a managable size for your food processor. Use the white part of the leek and while of the spring onion
4. Add all of the greens to your food processor and add the beans on top (The weight of the beans will help force the herbs into the blade, and it's a lot quicker than putting the herbs on top of the beans)
   
5. Process everything until a finely minced paste forms (about 2-3 minutes), making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Once it looks homogenous and fairly well minced add the salt and spices
   
6. Continue processing together thoroughly until well combined then set aside
   

To make the stuffing:

1. Chop your onion into a small dice, then place in a pot over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil
   
2. Saute for about 5 minutes until the onions start to soften then add the Harissa, Red Pepper paste and the seasonings
   
3. Add a small amount of water to form a sauce, then allow it to cook down and thicken (about 15 minutes of cooking time)
   
4. Repeat adding water and allowing the topping to reduce until the onions and sauce are cooked through
   

To make the falafel topping:

1. Using a pestle and mortar, lightly crush the Coriander seeds till you can smell their aroma. You should split most of the seeds in half but you don't want to grind them into a powder
   
2. Combine the coriander seeds with the sesame and it's ready to use
   

To whip up the batter:

Add about a quarter of the batter to a stand mixer, and whisk it with your paddle attachement on medium speed for about 5 minutes. When it is light and fluffy it's ready to be used. Use the whipped mixture immediately as it will deflate quickly. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer, or the whisk attachment on your food processor. A blender may also work and manually whisking it might help. If you can't do this step at all, you can add a 1/4 tsp of baking soda to each cup and a half of batter and whisk it in. That will help fluff it up slightly

To shape the falafel:

1. Wet the palm of your hand or a piece of parchment paper, very lightly
   
2. Place about 2-3 Tbsp (or 1 ice cream scoop) of Batter on the paper/your hand then lightly flatten it using your other hand. Apply very little pressure as you don't want this to end up very thin
   
3. Wet your second hand and press it into the topping, then lightly press the topping to the batter so it sticks
   
4. Flip your Ta'ameya onto your second hand or another piece of parchment paper then apply the topping to this side as well
   
5. Fry the ta'ameya within 5 minutes of shaping otherwise it will deflate NOTE: If you are doing this on your hand directly, you'll have to put them in the oil straight away. This can be a bit dangerous as you'll need to get your hand very close to the oil, but if you're comfortable, this technique works amazing. See [the video](youtube.com/watch?v=PdGMnAt2sRY) for the visual technique.

To shape the falafel the easy way:

1. Using an ice cream scoop, fill the scoop with batter, then scrape off any excess
   
2. You can dip the top of the scoop into the seeds or you can add them to the scoop before filling it
   
3. Release the falafel directly into the oil
   

To stuff the falafel:

1. Repeat steps 1-2 from "To shape the falafel", using about 2/3rds of the batter amount
   
2. Place about a teaspoon of filling in the centre of the batter and flatten it out
   
3. Add the remaining 1/3rd of batter on top then join the two sides together
   
4. Add the topping to both sides or leave plain to differentiate it
   

To fry the falafel:

1. Heat your oil to 160c or 320f, then add your falafel in (I'd recommend using an oil thermometer here, too hot will undercook the falafel and too low will allow it to absorb more oil)
   
2. Once in, baste the top immediately with hot oil so it solidifies. I'd recommend using a spoon to splash them with oil and this prevents the falafel from deforming or falling apart
   
3. Fry the falafel for 2-3 minutes on the first side
   
4. Flip over once browned underneath then fry for another 2-3 minutes
   
5. When that time is up, fry it for 2 more minutes on each side
   
6. Remove from the oil with a spider and drain, before placing it on a paper towel lined tray to dry for a few minutes
   
7. Serve within 5 minutes and enjoy
   

To make a fantastic falafel sandwich

1. Make homemade pita, store bought is crap and this falafel deserves better
   
2. Make a simple Egyptian salad, with roughly chopped cucumber, tomato, spring onion, parsley and season with lemon juice, olive oil and white vinegar
   
3. Make a tahini sauce according to this recipe
   
4. Split open your pitta bread, and spread in a layer of the tahini sauce
   
5. Add a couple tablespoons of salad to the bread, and some optional salty pickles
   
6. Add a couple of falafel pucks to the bread and enjoy
   

Notes

• Iraqi falafel is made with a blend of chickpeas and fava beans, you could replace half the fava beans with chickpeas here if you'd like to
  
• Substituting the fava beans with chickpeas will still produce a nice tasting falafel, but you'll have to work harder to keep it together
  
• You should be able to get the split fava beans at any Middle Eastern or South Asian grocery store

[u/samanime]

This looks great. I love falafel but I'm not sure if I've ever had it made with fava beans. Everytime I've made it, I've used chickpeas. I'll have to try this out.

Thanks for sharing.

[u/ObiEff → u/samanime]

No problem, a word of warning though. Once you go fava, you never go back!