falafel

Generality

Falafels are foods of vegetable origin; in short, these are beans or chickpea balls or minced raw beans, spicy, salted, breaded and fried.

The falafel have middle-eastern origins but are progressively reaching all the western nations, where they are very successful among vegan and vegetarian consumers, who consume them instead of meat. They are generally accompanied by other typical recipes / preparations.

Roots and etymology

The falafels probably have Egyptian roots but are also very common in Israel, Palestine, Syria and Jordan. The term "falafel" is Arabic and indicates the presence of legumes in the recipe. It is conceivable that falafels represent the Christian alternative of Friday to meat and / or the Jewish alternative to pork.

Falafel recipe

How are they prepared?

Nutritional values ​​(per 100 g of edible portion) Edible part 100.0% water 14.9g Protein 9.6g Prevailing amino acids - Limiting amino acid - Lipids TOT 17.4g Saturated fatty acids 2.7g Monounsaturated fatty acids 10.5g Polyunsaturated fatty acids 4.2g Cholesterol 0.0mg TOT Carbohydrates 20.5g Starch 18.4g Soluble sugars 2.1g Dietary fiber 5.7g Soluble -g Insoluble -g Power 271.9kcal Sodium -mg Potassium 421.6mg Iron 3.2mg Football 166.1mg Phosphorus 203.4mg Thiamine 0.22mg Riboflavin 0.08mg Niacin 1.03mg Vitamin A 4.81 RAE C vitamin 2.35mg Vitamin E 3.13mg

The falafels are rather simple to prepare and one of the many known versions will be illustrated below.

Falafel ingredients

50g of dried broad beans without peel, dried hyacinth beans and dried chickpeas (in varying proportions), 1/4 onion, aromatic herbs to taste (respecting the origins of the food), 1/2 clove of undressed garlic, 30g of seeds of sesame and poppy seeds, extra virgin olive oil for frying, QB cumin, QB coriander, QB fresh or dried chilli, salt to QB, QB ground black pepper.

Falafel procedure

• Soak the vegetables for at least 6-8 hours. Drain and dry them in a cloth.
• Peel and peel the onion, garlic and aromatic herbs
• Prepare the spices
• Finely chop the pulses with a knife, onion, garlic, aromatic herbs and possibly fresh chilli; once the base paste is obtained, taste and correct to taste with spices and salt
• Heat the oil and bring it to 180 ° C;
• From the dough, make falafel shaped cylindrical rod (1-1, 5cm diameter) or meatball; then pass them in the poppy and sesame seed mixture, compacting the surface well;
• Fry them carefully and drain, dabbing with absorbent paper.

Falafels can be served accompanied by various types of sauces (such as hummus) from fresh and preserved vegetables, or placed inside pita bread. Some accompany the falafel to sweet and sour sauces, yogurt etc.

Non-Fried Falafel - Baked Chickpea Meatballs

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Nutritional characteristics

Falafel are cholesterol-free foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, therefore suitable for feeding against hypercholesterolemia. Furthermore, the considerable percentage of polyunsaturated fats suggests that they can also be used in nutrition against hypertriglyceridemia and (if without added sodium) also against hypertension. On the other hand, the high energy intake precludes its use in the diet for overweight.

The predominantly energy nutrients are carbohydrates but, as far as caloric importance is concerned, lipids are undoubtedly of greater importance. Proteins are not many and of medium biological value. Fiber is abundant.

With regard to mineral salts, falafels show an excellent content of potassium, iron and sodium; as far as vitamins are concerned, good concentrations of vit. B1 (thiamine) and vit. E (tocopherols).