Falafel

Nature Boy

Hi,

I usually get a falafel kebab when i go to kebab shops. And, being me, i go wondering if they are actually veggie. They do have a very meaty texture.

So, does anyone know of any tales of nasty ingredients in falafels?

P.S. I'm aware that I started a simular thread before on spice burgers, I hope ye don't think I'm a fast food addict!

feelthegrease

well lots of meatless foods have meaty textures. i find olives on pizza to be like pepperoni or something (or maybe im just crazy). and quorn garlic and herb fillets taste/feel/look disturbingly like real chicken. i'd be confident that all falafels are veggie.

Tar.Aldarion

Falafel is vegetarian, look at the little (v) after it in menus.
It is just chick peas and fava beans really. You can get stuff to make it in the health stores I go to, try making it at home.

Al Katraz

I used to work in a restaurant where they served falafel. One night one of the chefs put some leftover mashed potato in it, and it was really nice.

Falafel in Dublin is a bit ropey, but they have it nailed in 'Sinners' on Parliament Street, but unfortunately it's a full, sit-down Lebanese restaurant so I don't know how they'd feel about rolling in there drunk demanding you let them eat their food on the street from a paper bag.

The belly-dancer makes up for it though.

VCK

I LOVE falafel! Over here in the UK they have a company called Cauldron who make veggie sausages and the like (like Quorn) and they make gorgeous falafel. Except they had horrid, dry falafel at Oxégen last year.

Nature Boy

Yeah Cauldron do some mighty good sausages! Very simular to the redwood lincolnshire sausages (which you can get in Ireland too). The tofu is good too.

Oh yeah, and falafel rocks!

neuro-praxis

I am cooking falafel this weekend - what do you usually serve with it? Is there a dressing of any kind? I know it is usually associated with pitta bread but is there anything else?

Star Lord

Bang it into a pitta with lettuce, red onion, cucumber, tomato, a little salsa and a touch of mayo if you like...

Mmmm drooling now!!!

Peanut

neuro-praxis wrote:

I am cooking falafel this weekend - what do you usually serve with it? Is there a dressing of any kind? I know it is usually associated with pitta bread but is there anything else?

Yes!! Hummus and more hummus..

Tar.Aldarion

Ugh Hummus. My sister makes that, ugh. Ugh. :P

Nature Boy

Tar.Aldarion wrote:

Ugh Hummus. My sister makes that, ugh. Ugh.

How can you possibly hate hummus? It's the loveliest sauce from lovelyland

MagnumForce

DamoElDiablo wrote:

Bang it into a pitta with lettuce, red onion, cucumber, tomato, a little salsa and a touch of mayo if you like...

Mmmm drooling now!!!

Jesus.....*wipes mouth*

Piste

Oh man, Falafels are sooo good! Anyone know of any good places in dublin that do them cheaply?

phrage

lemon garlic yoghurt of course !! du-uh !

ButterflyGirl23

Any falafel I buy (either in starbucks or health shop) is vegan so I don't think it's anything to worry about!

Slaphead07

DamoElDiablo wrote: »

Bang it into a pitta with lettuce, red onion, cucumber, tomato, a little salsa and a touch of mayo if you like...

Mmmm drooling now!!!

That's spot on...
I find it easier to eat in a wrap... I like to whack in a splodg of harrissa too.

Shenshen

neuro-praxis wrote: »

I am cooking falafel this weekend - what do you usually serve with it? Is there a dressing of any kind? I know it is usually associated with pitta bread but is there anything else?

Try Tsatsiki. It's Greek, so not technically directly related to the falafel, but it's a mtch made in heaven, I think.

Get some Greek-style yoghurt (a small pot will do), grate one or two cloves of garlic and mix it in the yoghurt.

Get half a cucumber, half it down the middle and remove the seeds with a spoon. Grate it, and sprinkle it with salt and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After the then mins, squeeze the cucumber, a lot of water will come out.
Add it to the yoghurt, and stir it all up.

shinysiren

Shenshen wrote: »

Try Tsatsiki. It's Greek, so not technically directly related to the falafel, but it's a mtch made in heaven, I think.

Get some Greek-style yoghurt (a small pot will do), grate one or two cloves of garlic and mix it in the yoghurt.

Get half a cucumber, half it down the middle and remove the seeds with a spoon. Grate it, and sprinkle it with salt and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After the then mins, squeeze the cucumber, a lot of water will come out.
Add it to the yoghurt, and stir it all up.

That or if you're fine with mixing food genres, I like to have it withsome Raita (sp?),an Indian dressing/dip.It's essentially natural yoghurt with mint and cucumber in it, and is delicious with Falafel.

My last attempt at homemade falafel ended rather badly,with our kitchen (student apt) being filled with half smushed chick peas, and cardamom seeds.

Slaphead07

Given that "ready to mix with water" felafal is so available and such good quality I can't imagine any reason to make it from scratch.

Aard

Falafel from M&S is pretty good.


There is/was a market on Coppinger Row on a Thursday that sold expensive, but good, falafel in pitta bread with dressing.

shinysiren

Slaphead07 wrote: »

Given that "ready to mix with water" felafal is so available and such good quality I can't imagine any reason to make it from scratch.

Making from scratch is just so much more fun, when it goes right anyhow. The only "readymade" falafel I ever tried was in this Ainsley Harriot box, with mix for kofta (which I ended up substituting lentils for lamb). They were quite good, but I like mine with slightly more kick to them.

Slaphead07

shinysiren wrote: »

The only "readymade" falafel I ever tried was in this Ainsley Harriot box.....

I think i see where you went wrong,:rolleyes: Try the Middle Eastern shops around, they have the real deal, heath food shops are good too. You'll even find decent chilled falafel in the chill cabinets of many heath food shops, the Cauldron ones (more disc than ball) are particularly good.

shinysiren

Slaphead07 wrote: »

I think i see where you went wrong,:rolleyes: Try the Middle Eastern shops around, they have the real deal, heath food shops are good too. You'll even find decent chilled falafel in the chill cabinets of many heath food shops, the Cauldron ones (more disc than ball) are particularly good.

Hey, I didn't seek out readymade falafel, I love making them myself. But that sounds like a great timesaver,so the next time I can afford to buy food, I'm there.

henryporter

I'm off to Amsterdam at the weekend with the Mrs. - great felafel restaurants and takeaways there - theres a chain called Maoz where you go in get the basic felafel in a pitta and then help yourself to salads and sauces - it would go down a bomb in Dublin, Cork Galway and other civilised areas!

shinysiren

Sounds awesome, bring it back with you?

henryporter

I'll set up a stall at the airport for ye all:D

Slaphead07

henryporter wrote: »

I'm off to Amsterdam at the weekend with the Mrs. - great felafel restaurants and takeaways there - theres a chain called Maoz where you go in get the basic felafel in a pitta and then help yourself to salads and sauces - it would go down a bomb in Dublin, Cork Galway and other civilised areas!

Most of central europe has those falafel stalls, feckin' marvelloys things they are too! I never actually tried Moaz but certainly I ate in quite a few 'middle eastern' cafes. MoMo's on Liffey Street does a damn fine plate.

Absurdum

I make mine at home from scratch, takes a while and there's a lot of cleaning up to do but it's worth it. I usually make a large bowl of mix that lasts for a few days too.