Tag: falafel

Falafeltaschen Board


I can’t honestly believe that Purim is just a couple of days away! Which means Pesach is just a month away. And then Shavuos is just a couple of weeks after that. And do you know what happens then? By that time I should be holding my own. actual. cookbook. in. my. hands. Ahhhhh!!!!!


Cookbook, cookbook, cookbook. It is the air that I breathe these days! It is my breakfast, lunch and supper. The thing I think of when I get up in the morning and when I go to bed at night (and all the hours in between). It’s what has me crying from stress and happiness at the same time. It. is. real. and it. is. happening.

I have a newfound appreciation for cookbook authors the world over. I think they all deserve a gold medal for the tedious process of developing, testing, retesting and retesting recipe after recipe until they all start to look the same. I think they deserve the biggest honor for the amount of hours poured over every word and the amount of thought that goes into every page.

I have the greatest respect for food stylists and photographers and photo editors who make the perfect crease in a napkin, get the lighting and shadows just so, and finish the photos with the perfect finesse. And as I wind down to the finish line and wrap up my recipes, my photos, my very heart and soul that I put into this book….I’m forced to stop. Take a deep breath. Because life around me is still living, and the kids need costumes, and shalach manos and….PURIM. I celebrate you with honor and this fabulous FALAFELTASCHEN BOARD that doesn’t need much introduction. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Happy Purim!

Falafeltaschen Board

1 package store-bought falafel mix (or make your own)
1/3 cup flour
canola oil, for frying

accompaniments:
fresh pita
pickled turnips
preserved lemons
hardboiled eggs
fried eggplant
Israeli pickles
Israeli salad
hummus
tahini
harissa
sumac onions
sauerkraut
parsley

Method:

Prepare falafel according to package directions. If mixture is loose, add flour until the consistency holds it shape. Form into triangular shape by hand, or using a triangular cookie cutter. Freeze until solid.

Heat canola oil over medium heat. Fry the falafel until golden brown. Serve with tahini and accompaniments of choice. 

Related Recipes:

corndog hamantaschen
sushi hamantaschen
baklava hamantaschen
date and almond hamantaschen
healthy thumbprint hamantaschen

Post a Comment

Falafel Cauliflower Poppers (Baked!)

You guysssss!!! This post makes me so excited, I have no words! OK, I always have words, many of them. But where shall I begin?

If you’re a dedicated follower of my blog, you know how much I love

  1. trendy recipes
  2. hybrid recipes
  3. ISRAELI recipes
  4. healthy makeover recipes

Am I right? Does that just about sum up my food blogger style or what?!

Well this here genius idea just about incorporates all of those passions! Cauliflower trend – check! Falafel/breaded cauliflower hybrid – check! Israeli recipes – Oh my god yes, check!! And healthy makeover recipes – definitely check, check!!

Ever since my crazy cauliflower nacho hack went ridiculously viral, I’ve been wanting to come up with an equally amazing cauliflower idea, and when Knorr sent me over some of their falafel mix, I knew I had it in the bag. And then I tasted them, and I was all “why hasn’t the whole world made these like every single day of their lives?!?!” Yup. You’re welcome.

Breaded cauliflower has always been a favorite snack of mine, but since they’re usually fried, I don’t have them too often. I also avoid using fresh cauliflower, since it’s such a pain to check for bugs (kosher law forbids the consumption of insects), so I came up with a recipe that solves all those problems! You’re welcome.

So, not only are these cauliflower poppers supremely delicious, they’re made with thawed frozen cauliflower (no checking necessary) and they’re baked, not fried! You wouldn’t believe it from the insanely crunching coating, but oh yes, they are practically guilt free. Did I say you’re welcome yet?

Speaking of which, I want to thank Knorr for making these semi-homemade poppers so easy to put together using their prepared falafel mix. I’ve not usually a fan of prepared mixes but falafel is an extremely time consuming effort – between soaking the beans, processing the mixture and frying the balls… I’m all for convenience in this case!

Convenience is the name of the game these days. With school out for most of the kids, I’ve got summer prep on my mind and lots to do. Plus the NYC heat is totally draining me and getting dinner on the table every night is not as easy as it used to be. I’m thankful for kid-friendly foods that might use some store bought ingredients to help me out – like bottled BBQ sauces for quick and easy pulled chicken/beef, frozen ravioli that I can just heat up with some marinara, and even pancake batter that makes breakfast a cinch. I may be a do-it-yourself, made-from-scratch gal at heart, but I’m a very practical mom IRL (in real life!). Summer conveniences, here we come!

Speaking of summer, make sure you put these on your NINE DAYS menu, will you? You can thank me later.

You’re welcome!

Falafel Cauliflower Poppers

24oz. frozen cauliflower florets, thawed
1 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
1 box (2 packets) Knorr falafel mix
olive oil cooking spray
prepared tahini, for serving

Method:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Using paper towels, pat the cauliflower dry. Place the florets in a bowl. Set up a dredging station with the flour, eggs and falafel mix in separate containers.

Dip the florets in flour, shake off excess and dip in egg. Shake off excess and dip in falafel mix. Spread the breaded florets on a parchment lined baking sheet (don’t overcrowd the pan) and spray both sides generously with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until browned and crispy.

Serve immediately with tahini for dipping.

This post was sponsored by Knorr Falafel. All opinions are my own. 

Related Recipes:

falafel latkes with harissa tahini
spinach falafel burger
smoked paprika popcorn cauliflower
cauliflower nachos

Post a Comment

{Falatkes} Falafel Latkes with Harissa Tahini

There really is no outdoing my poutine latkes from last year. The latkes went so viral, that I cooked them up for the Wall Street Journal and did a latke segment for The Meredith Vieira Show. HuffPost Canada went gaga over them and the rest is history.

I’m not one to rest on my laurels so I had to really blow it out of the water this year. It’s a good thing I had an entire year to think about it! I knew I wanted to go in the Israeli direction, because my food has been really influenced by the amazing flavors and spices of Israeli culture and cuisine. And what’s more quintessentially Israeli than falafel?

When falafel latkes, or as I coined them, FALATKES, came to me, I was beyond excited at the prospect of creating a beanless falafel dish! I prepared my batter, scooped it in the sizzling oil and my brain went crazy. Was I smelling latkes or was I smelling falafel?! I was smelling both!!

And then I took a bite of their crispy goodness and Oh. Em. Gee. I was eating potato latkes. And I was eating falafel. {MINDBLOWN} Poutine latkes – outdone.

If Chanukah wasn’t my favorite holiday before, it is now! Not only was I born on the fifth night, but I got married on my birthday and as I celebrate my 35th birthday, along with my 13th wedding Anniversary, I will be munching on this deeelicious fried goodness. It’s going to be a very happy birthday indeed!

Now, when you create the ultimate Chanukah latke, you have to top it with the ultimate sauce. Tahini is my jam so I made it my favorite way – with delicious spicy harissa mixed in for a deep, rich and spicy flavor. I am legit obsessed with Mina harissa that I tasted at Kosherfest just a couple of weeks ago. It’s spicy, but it’s also kind of sweet, which is never something I expected to find in a harissa. It’s got such a homey small-batch flavor, I just want to slather it on everything! And don’t even get me started on their shakshuka sauce. I can’t wait to create some amazing recipes with it!

If you’re a fan of harissa, don’t forget to try my harissa whipped feta with za’atar eggplant chips. They’re perfect for Chanukah, when it’s traditional to eat dairy foods. You can even fry up the za’atar chips to really get into the Chanukah mood. My confetti latkes with harissa sour cream are another favorite and if you want to go healthy, definitely go for my cauliflower nachos with harissa cheddar sauce. Told you I love harissa. Of course, if you’re looking for other fun Chanukah recipes, don’t forget to check out my Chanukah category, as well as the Chanukah section in my new RECIPE INDEX!  You’ll find amazing appetizers and desserts that are perfect for you Chanukah party.

In the meantime, here are some great tips for making the ultimate crispy latkes!

1- Make sure to squeeze out as much liquid as possible out of your potatoes and onions using a cheesecloth or kitchen towel.
2- Use little-to-no flour to bind the mixture. The potatoes natural starch is usually enough to keep it together.
2- When the batter sits, it tends to get liquidy, so make sure to squeeze out as much moisture as possible before frying.
3- Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop out your batter. Pack the batter into the cup and place in the hot oil. Use the bottom of the cup to press down on the latkes, creating crisy, lacy edges.
4- Remove your latkes from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain, but immediately remove to a rack so the latkes stay nice and crisp.

Happy Frying!

Falafel Latkes

2 lb yukon gold potatoes
1 medium white onion, quartered
2 eggs
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour
canola oil, for frying

Method:

Peel potatoes and immediately place in a bowl of water to prevent browning. In a large bowl, combine eggs, spices, herbs, flour or matza meal and salt and pepper; stir to combine. Drain the potatoes and grate it, alternating between the potatoes and onion, either by hand or with a shredding disc in your food processor. Place the grated potato and onion mixture into a large piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel. Wrap it tightly and squeeze out as much juice as possible into a bowl. Let the juice sit for a bit so the potato starch settles to the bottom. Slowly pour the liquid out of the bowl (into the sink), leaving the potato starch in the bowl. Add the starch, grated potatoes and onions to the herb mixture and stir to incorporate. Heat oil in a skillet and fry 1/4 cup of batter at a time until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

NOTE: If you don’t have garbanzo flour, you can use matza meal or regular flour. If you don’t like cilantro, you can just double up on the parsley.

Harissa Tahini

1/2 cup tahini paste (stir thoroughly before using, as oil and solids tend to separate)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp cumin
kosher salt, to taste
2 tsp Mina spicy harissa, or to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix the tahini, water, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, salt and harissa. Whisk until emulsified.


This post was sponsored by Mina. All opinions are my own. View Mina’s amazing assortment of harissa and shakshuka sauce here or follow on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. 

Related Recipes:

confetti latkes with harissa sour cream
harissa whipped feta with za’atar eggplant chips
cauliflower nachos with harissa cheddar sauce
falafel burgers

Post a Comment

Spinach Falafel Burger

I’m pretty particular about how I like my falafel. And if you’re a true falafel lover, then I’m sure you are too! My first falafel rule of thumb is: it’s got to be GREEN!

Green falafel means it’s got a lot of herbs mixed in, which make them incredibly moist. If they’re too beige, they almost certainly have flour added, which makes them especially dry. The worst thing about dry falafel is that it gets stuck in your throat and you’re almost choking on the cardboard bits. YUCK.

That’s the other thing about falafel – it’s got to be fried. Baked falafel just isn’t the same! It’s the same thing with donuts. If you’re gonna have a donut, then have a donut. Just don’t bake it and squeeze the life out of the crispy fried donut dream.

And I’m not just saying it. I know because I put this recipe to the test – baked vs. fried. Sure the baked falafel patties were edible. A bit crispy, even. But they didn’t stand a chance near the uber crispy fried ones – with a moist and fluffy center and the crunchiest crust you’ve ever had.

You’re probably wondering where I came up with the idea of making spinach falafel. Well, I’ll tell you. My husband and I are both seriously averse to cilantro. It’s good that we’re on the same page about it, because otherwise we’d be having a fight every time I make Pad Thai. But there’s another issue too. My husband doesn’t like parsley either. And I do. So when it comes to dishes like falafel (especially green falafel), what’s a girl to do? Especially a girl with a cardinal rule of green falafel. She adds spinach (and sneaks in a little parsley!)…just don’t tell the hubby ;)

Spinach Falafel Burger

1 lb dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 1/2 cups baby spinach (lightly packed)
1/2 cup parsley
3 cloves garlic
1 lg onion, chopped
2 1/2 tsp coriander
2 1/2 tsp cumin
2-3 tsp kosher salt, or, to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
light olive oil or canola oil, for frying
sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, for serving
hummus and/or tehina, for serving
burger buns, for serving

Method:

Soak the chickpeas in water (they should be covered by 3-4 inches) overnight, or for at least 12 hours. Rinse and drain well. Working in batches (I do half at a time), add chickpeas, spinach, parsley, garlic and onion to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is very finely minced, but not pureed (it should have a bit of texture). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you are working so that the mixture is evenly chopped. Place the processed bean mixture in a bowl and add the coriander, cumin, salt, baking soda and lemon juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (don’t worry if the mixture seems wet/loose, it will stiffen up a bit in the fridge).

Fry a small patty in hot oil and taste to check seasoning. Adjust, if needed. If the mixture still seems too loose and appears to be falling apart, add 1 tbsp of flour at a time until it stiffens up (I prefer garbanzo bean flour to keep it gluten free) .

Divide the falafel batter into patties. Heat enough oil in a frying pan, so that it reaches halfway up the sides of the falafel burgers. Fry until deeply golden and crisp on both sides and drain on a rack set over a baking sheet. It’s a good idea to line the baking sheet with paper towels to absorb any drips (if you drain the patties directly onto the paper towels, they won’t remain as crisp).

Spread hummus or tehina over burger buns and top with falafel patties. Garnish with cucumber and tomato.

VARIATION:  you can sub some of the spinach with cilantro or try using other greens like kale or chard.

NOTE: due to the texture of the falafel mixture, I am not sure if it can be deep fried into balls (it may fall apart). However, you may make mini patties instead. Fry as above.

GRINDING OPTION: I tried this recipe using a meat grinder and a food processor and I found that it wasn’t necessary to go through the trouble of using a meat grinder. If you are careful about pulsing the mixture while still keeping some of the texture intact, you can definitely use a food processor. However, if you prefer to use a meat grinder, run it through the machine at least twice to get the right consistency.

BAKING OPTION: Although I recommend frying, you may bake them as well. Place patties on a greased baking sheet and brush with oil. Bake at 400 degrees until browned and crispy.

YIELD: OK, I forgot to count how many this made, but it was quite a bit. Feel free to halve the recipe. Or make the full amount and freeze the extra (they freeze really well).

Post a Comment