Ancient Egyptian Food: Falafel (Ta’amia)

Ta’amia was very popular with the Ancient Egyptians and continues to be popular in the middle east today. It was made with fava beans, but these can be substituted with chickpeas to make the well known version of Ta’amia known as falafel.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fava beans or chickpeas soaked overnight and drained
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1-2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• A pinch of salt
• Black pepper to taste
• Sesame seeds to coat the cakes
• Olive oil for frying

Preparation

1. Ensure the beans are soft and remove their skins. Mix the beans together with all of the ingredients except the oil and sesame seeds and either mash or blend them in a food processor until you have a thick paste.
2. Set the paste aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to set.
3. Knead the mixture and form into small round cakes about 2cm thick.
4. Sprinkle each side of the cakes with sesame seeds and shallow fry in hot olive oil for two to three minutes until golden brown.
5. Serve with flat bread and lettuce tossed in olive oil, lemon juice and pepper. Alternatively you can also serve with a tahini dip.