Falafels are famous appetizers originating from the Middle East. It is brought anywhere by Desert travellers because it almost tastes like meat, and it is easy to bring.
The Persian/Mediterranean cuisine is starting to make a name in the Philippine restaurant industry. For the spice loving Filipinos, the exotic flavors of Persian/Mediterranean cusine are perfect for the palate of the Filipinos.
Falafels are deep- fried vegetarian balls that taste almost like meat! It's made of garbanzos, chickpeas, couscous, sesame seeds, and a lot of spices.
I've encountered this food one night, and I fell in love with it from then on.
Falafels are quite hard to make. You need to crush garbanzos, cook couscous, spike it with the right ingredients and spices to create the authentic Falafel. Good thing, there's Casbah for people on the go like me.
So for this edition, let's cook FALAFELS!
I've purchased a Falafel mix from Healthy Options. A box costs 129php, and it can make 24 patties. I've used only half of the mix, which gave me 12 patties. And I'll be using the other mix in my next cooking session.
HOW TO COOK INSTANT FALAFELS
1. The choice is up to you whether you want to make 24 or 12 patties. So if you want to create a lot for the whole family, then use up the mix. If not, use only half of the mix and store the remaining in a cool, dry place.
2. If you've used half of the mix, pour half a cup of cold water. Make sure it's cold. If it's warm or hot, it will melt the mix, turning it into soup. Mix well, until the mix becomes thick and fluffy.
MAJOR PROBLEM: I'VE PUT TOO MUCH WATER! NOW IT'S TURNING INTO A SOUP!
I've used a big glass with half a cup of water. Though I've only put half a cup, the glass I've used might be too big. And, I've used a GLASS, not a CUP. So here's how to solve the problem.
SOLUTION: GET A SIFTER, BOWL AND FORK
- Pour the solution on the sifter. Make sure it's on top of a bowl so the excess water will be removed. After removing the excess water, fluff the batter with a fork and mix well. If the batter is becoming thick and sticky, it has already absorbed the right amount of water.
PROBLEM SOLVED! LEAVE THE MIX FOR 10 MINUTES SO THE FLAVORS WILL SETTLE. YOU CAN ADD GROUND BEEF OR PORK IN THE BATTER, MAKING IT A GOOD PARTNER FOR RICE. SPIKE IT WITH PAPRIKA OR CHILI POWDER, IF YOU'RE INTO SPICY FOODS.
NOW WE'RE READY TO COOK!
A closer look at the Falafel Batter. It has now been remedied and it's fluffy and thick, which makes it perfect for creating and molding balls.
Make balls out of the Falafel batter.
Heat a cooking pan and oil. Make sure the oil amount is quite big for a deep frying session. Each ball will take 2- 3 minutes to fry.
A closer look at the Falafels. Look at the herbs and spices, perfectly seasoned and cooked to a golden brown perfection.
Golden brown, mouthwatering Falafels. Perfect with salads, pita breads, or on it's own! Make sure you make a garlic dressing, yogurt dressing, or sesame tahini dip to make this a heartwarming snack or meal. I did not have the time to create the dip because I realized I was already running late after cooking this. But it still tasted good!
'TILL THE NEXT ISSUE! :)
The Persian/Mediterranean cuisine is starting to make a name in the Philippine restaurant industry. For the spice loving Filipinos, the exotic flavors of Persian/Mediterranean cusine are perfect for the palate of the Filipinos.
Falafels are deep- fried vegetarian balls that taste almost like meat! It's made of garbanzos, chickpeas, couscous, sesame seeds, and a lot of spices.
I've encountered this food one night, and I fell in love with it from then on.
Falafels are quite hard to make. You need to crush garbanzos, cook couscous, spike it with the right ingredients and spices to create the authentic Falafel. Good thing, there's Casbah for people on the go like me.
So for this edition, let's cook FALAFELS!
I've purchased a Falafel mix from Healthy Options. A box costs 129php, and it can make 24 patties. I've used only half of the mix, which gave me 12 patties. And I'll be using the other mix in my next cooking session.HOW TO COOK INSTANT FALAFELS
1. The choice is up to you whether you want to make 24 or 12 patties. So if you want to create a lot for the whole family, then use up the mix. If not, use only half of the mix and store the remaining in a cool, dry place.
2. If you've used half of the mix, pour half a cup of cold water. Make sure it's cold. If it's warm or hot, it will melt the mix, turning it into soup. Mix well, until the mix becomes thick and fluffy.
MAJOR PROBLEM: I'VE PUT TOO MUCH WATER! NOW IT'S TURNING INTO A SOUP!I've used a big glass with half a cup of water. Though I've only put half a cup, the glass I've used might be too big. And, I've used a GLASS, not a CUP. So here's how to solve the problem.
SOLUTION: GET A SIFTER, BOWL AND FORK
- Pour the solution on the sifter. Make sure it's on top of a bowl so the excess water will be removed. After removing the excess water, fluff the batter with a fork and mix well. If the batter is becoming thick and sticky, it has already absorbed the right amount of water.
PROBLEM SOLVED! LEAVE THE MIX FOR 10 MINUTES SO THE FLAVORS WILL SETTLE. YOU CAN ADD GROUND BEEF OR PORK IN THE BATTER, MAKING IT A GOOD PARTNER FOR RICE. SPIKE IT WITH PAPRIKA OR CHILI POWDER, IF YOU'RE INTO SPICY FOODS.
NOW WE'RE READY TO COOK!
A closer look at the Falafel Batter. It has now been remedied and it's fluffy and thick, which makes it perfect for creating and molding balls.
Make balls out of the Falafel batter.Heat a cooking pan and oil. Make sure the oil amount is quite big for a deep frying session. Each ball will take 2- 3 minutes to fry.
A closer look at the Falafels. Look at the herbs and spices, perfectly seasoned and cooked to a golden brown perfection.
Golden brown, mouthwatering Falafels. Perfect with salads, pita breads, or on it's own! Make sure you make a garlic dressing, yogurt dressing, or sesame tahini dip to make this a heartwarming snack or meal. I did not have the time to create the dip because I realized I was already running late after cooking this. But it still tasted good!'TILL THE NEXT ISSUE! :)
2 Comments
I've tried this na din! Masarap nga! Me and my hubbie did a sort of middle eastern themed night at home. It['s not bad for something that comes out of a box :D
ReplyDeleteDenise: super! Hahaha. hubby and I loved it to bits. :) Yung dip lang ang matrabaho. and yeah, not bad for 129php!:)
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think of this post! :)