falafel — Egypt

Falafel is a fried patty made from ground legumes bound with fresh herbs and spices, then shaped into small balls or disks and deep-fried until the outside turns deep golden and crisp while the inside stays soft and green. The dish is reported across Egypt, where it is commonly called ta'meya, and it is eaten at any time of day, often stuffed into flatbread with salad, pickles and a sesame or yogurt sauce. It is one of the most widely eaten dishes in the country, sold from small stands and eaten at home alike. In Egypt the base is typically dried, peeled fava beans rather than chickpeas: the beans are soaked overnight, then ground with garlic, onion, parsley, coriander leaves, cumin and coriander seed into a coarse, bright green paste. The paste is shaped into small patties, often pressed with sesame seeds on the outside, and rests briefly before being fried in hot oil until crisp. What sets this Egyptian version apart from the chickpea-based falafel eaten elsewhere in the region is precisely that fava bean base, which gives a softer, denser crumb and a deeper green color inside the patty. The sesame coating and the reliance on fresh herbs rather than dried spice alone are also distinguishing marks of this preparation.