Modern Israeli Cuisine - Falafel
Deconstructing Modern Israeli Dishes - Falafel
Falafel stands alongside hummus as the one-two punch of chickpea dominance in Israel and throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean. These crispy deep-fried marvels are eaten sandwich-style wrapped in pita or flatbread, dipped in spreads, in salads, or just munched on the go. No proper mezze platter would be complete without a serving or two of falafel.
It’s one of the most popular street foods in Israeli cuisine and is considered part of the country’s cultural heritage. In fact, many Israelis regard falafel as their national dish.
Like so many other dishes originating in the Middle East, Falafel’s origins are shrouded in the mysteries of time, but it is believed that falafel originated in Egypt, potentially in the days of the Pharaohs. The dish was originally made using fava beans, but as the dish migrated throughout the Middle East, the main ingredient was commonly replaced with chickpeas as they were more readily available.
Jewish immigrants from North Africa and the Middle East brought the dish with them to Israel and it quickly became one of the most popular street foods in the country.
What is Falafel?
Falafel is a common dietary staple throughout North Africa, the Middle East and the Levant that is made from ground chickpeas or fava beans. The most common version is made from chickpeas that have been ground up with a mix of herbs and spices, then shaped into balls and deep-fried or baked until they’re crispy. This creates a soft and savory inside with a satisfyingly crunchy outside.
The raw falafel mixture usually contains garlic, scallions, and parsley in addition to spices including coriander and cumin. In Israel, the origin of the “pita falafel sandwich,” fried falafel is served wrapped in hot pita and accompanied by garnishes such as cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes and served with tahini sauce. Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants in Europe and North America may also include cooling tzatziki sauce as well.
In addition to choice of beans, there are other regional variations such as Syria’s bright green version made with both fava and garbanzo beans, lots of parsley and cilantro, and tahini sauce.
Falafel at Saba
At Saba, Chef Alon Shaya’s modern Israeli restaurant on Magazine Street in New Orleans, falafel is paired with tahini and zhoug, a popular middle eastern condiment made with fresh cilantro, cardamom, chili peppers, garlic and spices. Originally from Yemen, zhoug is a bright, spicy, accompaniment to falafel commonly used in Israel.
About Chef Alon Shaya
Alon Shaya is Chef-Partner of Pomegranate Hospitality, which includes Saba in New Orleans, Safta in Denver, and both Miss River and Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans.
He is the author of Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel. Part memoir and part cookbook, Shaya shares Alon’s deeply personal journey of survival and discovery, exploring the evolution of a cuisine and the transformative power and magic of food and cooking.
Alon, a multiple James Beard Foundation Award winner, was named Best Chef: South in 2015 and his restaurant won Best New Restaurant the following year. He was named one of the "50 People Who Are Changing the South" by Southern Living and one of the "50 Most Influential Jews in America" by The Forward.