Falafel is traditionally made using garbanzo flour, and very often mixed with fava bean flour. You can buy this blend straight from the store either in a box or a Bob’s Red Mill bag. Those are great, and you can also make your own blend of the two, but if your can’t find fava bean flour, fada-fine flour works as well! Fada-fine is simply fine ground cracked wheat. (Bulgar is VERY similar, simply having been steamed and roasted before drying, so it makes a great substitute here, however it can be a little more course in texture when cooked.)
We were recently RVing through Eastern Texas when I came across an Indian Market. “Falafel! I should make Falafel!” I said to myself …except that I couldn’t find fava bean flower and really didn’t want to pay extra for, or even use, the boxed stuff.
I asked the store attendant if Fada is used for falafel and he said yes. Honestly, I think Faba is the traditional name for fava bean flour, but it didn’t matter now, as all I had on hand was fada and garbanzo. Was it going to work?
YOU BETCHA!
Not only does the garbanzo flour and fada-fine (fine cracked wheat) produce a perfectly crispy yet springy-firm falafel ball, the garlic and parsley mixes very well with the small amount of mint to make it flavorful and fresh in taste.
To add to this already successful finger food, I made a yogurt, (or sour cream as preferred,) fresh herb dip.
COOKING WITH KIDS
Although it does require frying, this recipe is excellent for cooking with kids, as both the dough and the dip are easy to mix. I like the fact that it’s both vegetarian and a foreign food, but not crazy in flavor, making it easy to mix some culture into your family’s diet without taking them too far out of their comfort zone. It also so happens that kids LOVE to eat with their fingers! The only thing I might suggest is that the fresh garlic in the dip can be a little hot for some children, so work with it accordingly, or simply use garlic powder.
Garbanzo and Cracked Wheat Falafel with Creamy Fresh Herb Dip
Equipment
- Deep Frier/Air Frier/Wok
Ingredients
Falafel Batter
- 2 ½ cups vegetable stock OR 2 ½ cups water + ⅓ cup vegetable broth powder
- 1 cup garbanzo flour*
- 1 cup fada-fine/fine cracked wheat OR bulgar (see notes above)
- 1 t garlic granules
- 1 t paprika
- ¼ cup dried parsley
- 2 t dried mint
- salt and pepper to taste
Fresh Herb Dip
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ t white vinegar
- ¼ to 1 t honey/agave; to taste
- 3 cloves garlic; grated
- 3 T fresh parsley; finely chopped
- 3 T fresh cilantro; finely chopped
- ¼ t ground black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring the water and vegetable broth powder (or stock) to a boil.
- In a medium bowl mix together the garbanzo flour, fada-fine/cracked wheat, garlic, parsley, mint, paprika, salt, pepper, and salt.
- Add the broth to the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon. Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes in order for the broth to be absorbed and the dough to become firm. It will still be sticky, but more able to be dropped into the frying oil in a ball shape.
- With the frying oil brought up to 360 °F, fry several balls at a time, as space allows, until firm, floating, and a deep golden color.
- To make the dip: Simply add all 9 ingredients together and whisk well to incorporate. (See notes above if cooking for children.)
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