Falafel with Hilbeh

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Here's a good one from Rosemary Zwick:

My wife asked me to buy organic vegetables from the market. I went and
looked around and couldn't find any so I grabbed an old, tired looking
employee and said, "These vegetables are for my wife. Have they been
sprayed with any poisonous chemicals?"

The produce guy looked at me and said, "No. You'll have to do that yourself."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Falafel may be the original fast food, since it has been sold by street
cart vendors in the Middle East since before anyone was keeping track of
such things. It is also meatless, which might make it the original
"veggie burger" as well.

Falafel

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans, ceci) picked over, rinsed, and soaked in water overnight
or 2 cups (500 ml) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped onion
1/4 cup (60 ml) cilantro or parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cumin
1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 Tbs (30 ml) all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying
1 recipe hilbeh (see below)

Combine all the ingredients except the flour and the oil in an electric
food processor and blend until the mixture is coarsely pureed. Place
this mixture in a mixing bowl and add the flour, stirring to combine
thoroughly. Form the mixture into four to six patties, using wet hands
to help prevent the mixture from sticking. Heat 1/2 inch (1 cm) of
vegetable oil in a heavy skillet until the surface shimmers and fry the
patties about 3 or 4 minutes on each side, until golden. Remove to paper
towels to drain. Serve with hilbeh.
Serves 4 to 6.

Hilbeh (Spicy Yemenite Relish)

3 Tbs (45 ml) fenugreek seeds*
3 medium-sized rip tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cardamom seeds
1 tsp (5 ml) caraway seeds
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 ml) cayenne pepper, or to taste

*Available in finer supermarkets and Middle Eastern specialty shops.
They may be omitted from this recipe if they are not available in your area.

Crush the fenugreek seed to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or
the back of a spoon. Pour in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water and allow
to steep for 2 to 3 hours. Drain the fenugreek through a fine sieve,
discarding the liquid. Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor
and add the fenugreek. Using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon,
mash the garlic, salt, pepper, cardamom seeds, coriander, and cayenne
until the mixture is smooth. Stir into the tomato mixture.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups (375 ml).
Received on Wed Aug 22 20:14:31 2007