Monday, November 8, 2010

Meatless Month: Day 15


Falafel is a family favorite in the Hungry Household.  I don't make mine from scratch, though I'd like to try some time.  If you ever find yourself at the newer, Central Avenue Price Chopper with the large Kosher foods section, try the falafel mix by Osem.  It's really good.  Anyway, to make falafel from a mix, all you need to do is add water, form into balls or patties (I prefer the latter because it stays in the pita better), and fry in vegetable oil.

If you're unfamiliar with falafel, it's a patty made of ground-up chickpeas and sometimes fava beans and is a common food in Middle Eastern cultures.  We ate ours in a pita with hummus - my favorite is the Sabra brand in any variety.  My friend, the hummus snob, says this is the only kind that tastes as hummus should.

Served alongside the falafel pockets was a homemade tabbouleh salad, which is bulgur wheat mixed with chopped fresh parsley, mint, tomatoes, and lemon juice.  It's served cold or room temperature and is a light, refreshing side dish that's pretty good for you, too.  I made a little tomato-cucumber salad, dressed lightly with vinegar, salt, and pepper, out of the awesome tomatoes from my parents' garden, and dinner was done.

This is a meal that's far too easy to stuff yourself silly with falafel goodness.  If you've never tried falafel, you should!  Unless you don't like fried, crispy, deliciousness.  In which case, you're nuts!

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