Falafel is very popular in the Middle East as a fast food.

Vendors sell it on the street

corners
in Cairo. As a main dish, it is served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce,
tomatoes, and tahini. As an appetizer, it is served on a salad, or with hummus and
tahini.
Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians.
In Egypt, McDonald's has their version of a falafel sandwich. Can you guess the
name?
McFalafel, of course.
No time to make your own falafel? Check out our favorite falafel mixes.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 45 minutes
Ingredients:

1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.

1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons flour
Salt
Pepper
Oil for frying

Preparation:
Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with cold water. Allow to soak
overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans.
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.
Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste)
in medium bowl. Add flour.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine
ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly
flatten.
Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).
Serve hot.

Hummus
Try this Hummus recipe, or post your own recipe for Hummus

Ingredients

1 clove Garlic minced

4 tablespoon Tahini
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (16 oz) Chickpeas drained
1 each Lemon

Preparation
Pour chickpea juice in a container for later use.
Pour chick peas into food processor with crushed garlic clove, tahini and juice of one
lemon. Salt and pepper to taste. Puree for 3-5 minutes. Scrape down sides as needed.
Slowly add reserved chickpea juice 1 tablespoon at a time. Puree until smooth.
Serve with syrian bread
Keep refrigerated. Good for 5 days.

Hummus Bi Tahini - Lebanese Chickpea Pate

Ingredients

2 16 oz.cans
1 c Water
1 c Tahini (sesame paste)
1 ts Cumin powder
Juice of 2 lemons
4 8 cloves
1/4 c Extra virgin olive oil
1 ts Salt
Garnish:
Olive oil
Cumin powder
Syrian pepper (coarsely
Ground -- red pepper)
Chopped parsley
12 To 18
Chickpeas

Preparation
Drain liquid from chickpeas and wash under cold water. Set aside chickpeas for
garnish. Put remaining chickpeas in bowl of food processor; add water, Tahini, garlic,
1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Process on high speed. Juice lemons and
add lemon juice through feed tube while processing. If mixture seems too stiff (should
be like a fairly stiff dip), add 1 or 2 tablespoons water while processing. Keep
processing until very smooth, about 5 to 7 minutes. Divide among 4 individual
shallow serving bowls, mounding in bowl with slight hollow in center. Decorate with
cumin powder and Syrian pepper by alternating lines of spice into 8 spokes from
center of mound. Drizzle heavily with olive oil. Sprinkle center of mound with
chopped parsley and decorate with 2 or 3 chickpeas in center. Serve with pita bread.
Pita bread is torn into little pieces at the table and used to scoop up Hummus as you
would a dip. Use as an accompaniment to baked chicken, Kibbeh (Lebanese Meat
Loaf) or shish kabobs. Mardiros Hatsakorzian Recipe By : Rosilyn File
ftp://ftp.idiscover.co.uk/pub/food/mealmaster/recipes/mmdja006

Tahini can be prepared homemade or purchased at a Middle Eastern grocer in

a can.
It is called tahini or tahina, depending on the region.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

5 cups sesame seeds

1 1/2 cups olive oil or vegetable oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, shaking the
seeds frequently
with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes.
Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes.
Check for
consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend
until
desired consistency.
Yield: 4 cups

Storing Tahini
Tahini should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It will
keep for up to 3 months.