Lebanese Fair: Cooking up some Falafel with Hummus and Tabouleh

When we lived in the city, we often ate at Anita's Kitchen, on Maple west of Livernois, in Troy. They have the BEST Lebanese cuisine I have ever tasted. I've worked hard to perfect the art of falefel making, measuring it against the high standard of their super-falefel sandwiches.

I love having a Falefel sandwich with Hummus and Tabouleh, on either pita bread or a flour tortilla, on a hot summer's day. It's just light enough to not make you feel like you over did it, and just filling enough to satisfy. And, if you have a garden, and if you stock up on staple ingredients when they are on sale, it is a dirt cheap dinner.

First, the Falafel:

Start by soaking about 2 cups of garbonzos overnight (also known as chick peas or chi chi beans as my aunt calls them). Cover them by about 2 inches. If you are also making hummus from dried chick peas, soak extra for the hummus but it is easier to keep them separate.

By about 4pm the next day, you should be good to start work in the kitchen (I also make large batches and freeze the individual falfels on freezer paper, before storing in zipper bags for ease of use).

Start by putting your chick peas into your food processor, and grind them until they are coarse like bulgar or cracked wheat. Add to them a chopped up onion, a handful each of parsley and cilantro (fresh from the garden), a pinch of salt, a generous teaspoon of cumin and coriander each, and a half teaspoon of baking powder. Blend well in the food processor. You should have a thick dough.

Let your dough sit in the fridge while you heat oil to 350-375 (if it's too cool, it will taste greasy). You can also try baking them but sometimes it is too dry that way, so brush them with oil.



Using a spoon or a mini ice cream scooper (works better), make some small balls of falafel dough, and drop them carefully into the hot oil about 4-6 at a time.



When they turn nicely brown on the outside, remove them to a paper towel lined plate.



The Tabouleh
While you are making your falafel dough, start your tabouleh by soaking 2 cups of bulgar in 3 cups of boiling water. If you are using any other grain or pasta (couscous, cracked wheat, rice, orzo, whatever) follow the package directions to prepare it at this time.



Go to the garden once more, and fetch a large bowl full of parsley, and several generous handfuls of mint (don't use the chocolate mint for this.:P)

Finely chop the herbs, and chop up 1-2 onions (a vidalia or a red onion tastes best, I think), as well as a tomato and/or a red bell pepper. Toss this with the finished bulgar, along with 1/4 cup each of olive oil and lemon juice. Salt to taste.



The Hummus

I usually either keep frozen, fully cooked chick peas on hand (I cook large batches of them at a time, and freeze them in baggies for later use to save time and money), or I stock up on canned chick peas when they're on sale. Recently, they were on sale at Kroger for 50 cents each. One can of chick peas makes a good-sized bowl of hummus.

Throw your chick peas into the food processor, with 1 onion, some garlic, coriander, cumin, chili powder (or red pepper), salt, a good dash of olive oil and lemon juice, as well as a splash of sesame oil (a T or so). You can also add Tahini. I like Tahini, but it is both expensive and not readily available in our area. :( Sesame oil, found in the Asian/Oriental section of the grocery store, works just as good (my husband would say better. Blend it until smooth and creamy.

To make a Super Falafel Sandwich, spread hummus on a pita bread or tortilla (or other flat bread, spoon on the tabouleh, and add several falafel to it. Roll and enjoy.



AHHHH The perfect summer meal!
You may also garnish it with other fresh veggies...lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, etc.