Falafel
When I ask foreign visitors what Lebanese food they’ve had before, one of the first things they’ll say is falafel. Falafel shops are scattered around the country, and each region has its own favourite, but the most notable falafel shops in Beirut are those of ‘the feuding brothers’, Sahyoun. These two identically named shops, each owned by an estranged brother and each vying for the title of ‘best falafel in Beirut’, are found on Damascus Street, or what I like to call Falafel Street. The street connects Sodeco Square to Martyrs’ Square and was the former Green Line of the civil war that separated Beirut into East and West.
On that street, a few shops before the feuding brothers’ outlets, was the maker of my favourite falafel: Aboulziz, which closed down in 2023. A close second to Aboulziz, in my opinion, is either of the feuding brothers. The brothers who run the side-by-side shops both claim theirs is the original recipe, and the sandwiches aren’t really that different.
It comes down to which one isn’t closed during Ramadan or for summer vacation. In these shops, like it was at Aboulziz, falafel balls never last long – they are never left to become cold, sad balls – but are always prepared and fried in small batches to keep them fresh.
The man behind the counter at Aboulziz used to greet my guests and me with a falafel
drizzled with tarator (tahini sauce), a piece of pickled turnip and a radish slice and mint
leaf to keep us munching as he would roll generously filled falafel sandwiches. Here, that means a wrap – not a sliced pita bread that’s strangely stuffed with ingredients where you can’t get a bit of everything in each bite.
When building your own wrap, don’t skip on the mint and parsley, as they brighten
the flavour, or the chillies, if you’re into a bit of heat. The acidity of the fermented turnip
matches the falafel perfectly, but you can replace it with cucumber pickles (no dill, for me, here) or the wild/Armenian cucumber pickle, which is my favourite.
Using tinned or pre-boiled chickpeas will result in a mushier consistency, which explains why some recipes add flour to bind the ingredients together. It is much better to soak your own chickpeas and grind and mix them uncooked. They will cook to perfection in the oil.
This recipe is an extract from Bayrūt: recipes from the heart of a Lebanese city kitchen cookbook (Smith Street Books)
How to make falafel
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 22 balls
Ingredients
For the tahini sauce
To serve
Preparation
Step 1
Soak the dried chickpeas and beans overnight in plenty of water.
Step 2
The next day, drain the soaked beans and put both into a food processor along with the onions and garlic. Pulse intermittently until you have small granules – not too fine, otherwise the falafel will be dense.
Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and mix in the salt, spices, baking powder and cornflour until well combined.
Step 4
Pour enough vegetable oil for deep-frying into a deep heavy-based saucepan and heat over medium heat to 160°C (320°F).
Step 5
Shape small balls from the falafel mixture using a traditional falafel scoop or an ice-cream scoop. Don’t press the mix too firmly, otherwise the falafel will be dense. Lower them into the hot oil and deep-fry for 2–3 minutes, flipping as needed, until golden brown on both sides. You may need to do this in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels.
Step 6
For the tahini sauce, mix the tahini with the cold water until smooth – the mixture will separate at first, but will come together again. Season with
Step 7
Serve the hot falafel with the tahini sauce, with pickled turnips and chillies, mint, parsley, tomatoes and bread on the side.
