A Special Chanukah Recipe from Israel | Ta’amiyyah (Original Egyptian Falafel)

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Mara Strom

Gil Hovav is Israel’s leading culinary journalist, Gil Hovav has just released a brand new book translated into English, Candies from Heaven.

In his native Israel, Gil Hovav is beloved as a special national cultural treasure. Now, finally, with this deft translation of his utterly charming story collection that comes laced with 21 mouthwatering recipes, English-speaking readers will be able to appreciate why. Hovav is a masterful storyteller, a born raconteur. An unforgettable gallery of colorful uncles, aunts, and other family member—with food woven through as a lemotif–makes these autobiographical accounts of growing up in Jerusalem in the 60s and 70s read like short stories in the great tradition of Sholem Aleichem: tales told with great wisdom, tenderness, insight, and wit as tart as a bowl of Yemenite pickles. And who wouldn’t salivate over Hovav’s family recipes for sweet sour chorba tomato soup or his Aunt Levana’s eggplant and feta bourekas? Dig in, dear readers, pleasure is served.

I was thrilled that Gil agreed to share a sneak peek from his book with the KOAB community — and this one is perfect for Chanukah. Now I know most of us think of latkes – or sufganiyot – for Chanukah, but Gil has a uniquely Israeli twist on deep fried delicacies: Falafel.

And the best version of falafel, according to Gil, is Ta’amiyyah – the original Egyptian falafel, made from fava beans rather than chick peas.

 

Ta’amiyyah (Egyptian Falafel)

Ingredients:

1 kg dry, peeled fava beans (not fresh) soaked in water for 24 hrs

6 garlic cloves, peeled

1 green hot chili pepper

1 onion, peeled

1 bunch coriander

1 bunch parsley

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander seeds

2 tbsp salt

3 tbsp raw tahini

Oil for deep frying

Directions:

  1. After soaking fava beans, drain and discard the soaking water. Place all other ingredients in food processor and process until even and crumbly. The texture should resemble the consistency of couscous. Do not over process!
  2. Let the mixture sit for between 30 and 60 minutes. If it’s warm in your kitchen, you can cool it down in the fridge. 
  3. Form balls or discs and deep fry until crispy and well browned.

B’tayavon!

What’s your favorite non-traditional deep-fried food to eat for Chanukah? Have you ever tried my apple fritters? They are delicious and very quick to make!

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