Sunday, April 6, 2008

Falafel and a Springtime Day Hike

Falafel is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezze (snack or tapas). It is usually served in pita bread with vegetables, tahini sauce, and hot chili sauce. Also, it can be served on top of salads, or as an appetizer with hummus.

I love falafel. I could eat it most days but I don't. I bought a box of falafel mix and simply added water. I let the mixutre sit for 20 minutes to develop and then I made patties. Then I fried them in olive oil over medium-high heat until they were browned. Then I served them in pita pockets with romaine lettuce and tahini sauce.

Before frying:


After frying and built:


Tahini Sauce for Falafel:

NGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 gloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped (optional)

PREPARATION:
In a food processor or blender, combine garlic and tahini. Add salt.

Remove from food processor and add olive oil and lemon juice, stir until combined. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of water and stir. Mix in parsley if using. Refrigerate or serve immediately.


In the Bay Area of California I have access to some of the most beautiful scenery I have set my eyes on. Only minutes from San Francisco and San Jose lies forest, beach, hills and valleys. I decided to take advantage of the sunny Spring day and take a hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains with my friends. It was even more beautiful than I had remembered. It was actually a little cold, but we warmed up as soon as we were trekking up the hillsides.



2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeez -- your blog is making me hungry. I ventured in for avocado options and decided to stick around once I saw the tofu egg salad.

I'm addicted to falafel though. Is the falafel from a kit comparable to something you'd get at a restaurant?

Thanks!

Kyle said...

Hi Scotty,

Actually the falafel came in powdered form and I had to mix in cold water and let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes. Then I formed them into balls and fried them in a small amount of oil.

http://www.sadaf.com/recipes/Recipe11.html

Glad you like the bloggie!