Falafel

A contested origin

Egypt makes the strongest claim — its fava-bean version (ta’amiya) is documented for centuries — but Levantine countries adopted chickpea-based falafel and turned it into a street-food staple. Both Israel and Lebanon claim it as a national dish. The truth is the recipe traveled freely through the region and evolved along the way.

The dough is raw

The crucial trick: chickpeas for falafel are soaked overnight but never cooked. Cooked chickpeas turn into mush; the raw soaked ones grind into a gritty paste that fries up crisp on the outside and tender inside. Adding flour or eggs is a sign that the recipe is shortcutting — proper falafel needs neither.

Serving

Falafel is typically stuffed into pita with hummus, tahini sauce, pickled vegetables, tomato, cucumber, parsley, and chili sauce. In Egypt, ta’amiya is more often eaten on its own with bread alongside.