Falafel with Saj Bread
Falafel served with thin saj bread.
A recipe for falafel served with thin saj bread.
Think of it as a Middle Eastern falafel wrap bread meal.
Falafel is usually served hot with bread and simple toppings or dips.
Ingredients
- as needed oil for frying
- to taste sesame seeds
- as needed saj bread
- to taste yogurt
- to taste tahini
- to taste tomatoes
- to taste parsley
- to taste onion
- to taste pickles
- to taste lemon
- to taste grated radish
- a pinch sumac
- to taste lettuce
Instructions
- Soak 650 grams split, peeled fava beans and 350 grams dried chickpeas in a bowl of water for 8 hours.
- Drain the soaked fava beans and chickpeas in a colander after soaking.
- Grind the drained fava beans and chickpeas with 1 medium onion in a grinder set to its finest setting.
- Place the ground fava bean, chickpea, and onion mixture in a mixing bowl or stand mixer.
- Add 1 tablespoon dried coriander, 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon white pepper to the mixing bowl.
- Rub the falafel dough by hand in the mixing bowl for about 10 minutes, or knead it in the stand mixer until it holds together and the spices are well distributed.
- Add a little water to the mixing bowl if the falafel dough is a little dry, until it becomes soft and balanced.
- Leave the falafel dough in the mixing bowl for 10 minutes so it absorbs the spices and retains this softness.
- Pour plenty of oil into the frying pan to a depth of no less than 10 cm, then heat it over high heat at first.
- Test the oil temperature in the frying pan by dropping in a small piece of dough; if it bubbles up on the surface of the oil after a few seconds, the oil is ready for frying.
- Shape falafel patties with a falafel mold over the frying pan, using only a light press and without pressing the patty in the center.
- Add sesame seeds to the falafel patty while shaping it, if desired.
- Fry the falafel patties in the frying pan in the plentiful hot oil.
- Lower the heat under the frying pan slightly after the first side, or after frying the first batch if the oil becomes extremely hot.
- Do not turn the falafel patties in the frying pan until they are well set.
- Remove the fried falafel patties from the frying pan and place them on a plate lined with paper towels so they do not absorb oil.
- Warm the saj bread on a saj griddle placed over the gas burner until it becomes thin and ready for wrapping sandwiches.
- Place the hot falafel patties in the saj bread.
- Add sandwich ingredients to the saj bread as desired: tomatoes, parsley, onion, pickles, yogurt, tahini, lemon, grated radish, and lettuce.
- Garnish the falafel sandwich in saj bread with a drizzle of tahini and a pinch of sumac, then wrap it and serve hot.