Category Archives: BEANS & PROTEINS

Falafel

Falafel
Print Recipe
The falafel takes some work but is well worth it. Contributed by Larry Christian, a CSA member.
Servings
45 disks
Servings
45 disks
Falafel
Print Recipe
The falafel takes some work but is well worth it. Contributed by Larry Christian, a CSA member.
Servings
45 disks
Servings
45 disks
Ingredients
Servings: disks
Instructions
  1. Soak beans in water at least 8 hours.
  2. Combine all ingredients except baking powder and sesame seeds. Run through medium sieve of a meat grinder 2 times. The mixture should be moist but not soggy--too wet and the falafel will not hold together when it fries. Too dry and they will stick to the forming tool. The moisture from the soaked beans, the onion and the parsley should be just enough. If not add a little water or flour to correct.
  3. Add baking powder and sesame seeds and knead until thoroughly mixed.
  4. Let stand for at least 1 hour.
  5. Heat a neutral oil in a pan. Oil should be deep enough so that falafel can float and be turned over without hitting the bottom. Test the oil by dropping a small piece of falafel mix into the oil. If it sinks to the bottom, bubbles and floats to the top, oil is hot enough. Avoid getting the oil too hot or the falafel will be too crisp on the outside and uncooked on the inside.
  6. Form falafel mixture into disks about 2" diameter by 1/2 inch thick (you can get a tool for this on line or at Arab markets-they come in multiple sizes and this is the largest).If you have a tool, you can form them one at a time and drop in the hot oil. If not, form the mix into balls about 1.25" in diameter and flatten until about 1/2 inch thick. and put in the hot oil. Do not over crowd the pan. The falafel should be able to float without touching each other. I use a 10" diameter pan and cook 10 falafel at a time.
  7. Cook about 5 minutes, turn over and cook five minutes longer.
  8. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.
Recipe Notes

Serve with tahini sauce.

They are best served warm and can be re-heated in the oven.

Falafel makes a great sandwich with pita bread, tahini sauce, cucumber, tomato and pickled turnips.

 

*Garbanzo beans

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Hummus

Hummus
Print Recipe
This recipe is based on The Arab Table by May Bsisu. It takes some work but is worth it! Contributed by Larry Christian, a CSA member.
Hummus
Print Recipe
This recipe is based on The Arab Table by May Bsisu. It takes some work but is worth it! Contributed by Larry Christian, a CSA member.
Ingredients
Servings: good pot luck dish
Instructions
  1. Put garbanzo beans and baking soda in a bowl and fill with water until beans are covered by 1-2 inches. Soak overnight.
  2. Drain and rinse beans with cold water.
  3. Put beans in a pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. The beans give off a foam for about 15 minutes. Skim off the foam until it stops.
  4. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 90 minutes.
  5. Drain, reserving the liquid, and put the beans in a large bowl of cold water.
  6. The beans have translucent skins. Remove the skins by gathering a handful of beans and rubbing them between your hands. Repeat until surface is covered with skins. Pour off and refill with water. Continue rubbing until skins are mostly removed. Drain the beans.
  7. Put the beans, garlic, salt, sesame tahini and lemon juice in a food processor. (Note that the tahini separates if the jar has been sitting for a while. The oil comes to the top and the bottom of the jar gets very thick. Mix thoroughly in the jar with a fork until the tahini is smooth and consistent before adding to processor.) Pulse processor until thoroughly mixed, then process for several minutes.
  8. Add bean broth little by little and process several minutes more until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  9. Taste and add lemon juice if needed. Note that the garlic flavor will intensify as the mixture rests.
  10. Garnish with olive oil, paprika and parsley.
  11. Serve in a shallow platter with pita, sliced cucumber, tomatoes or carrot sticks.
  12. This recipe makes enough to take to a pot luck and have some left over. For smaller quantity, freeze half of the beans in their broth and reserve for later.
Recipe Notes
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