Ta'amiyah - Egyptian Fava Bean Falafels

Cook Time 1 hour plus overnight preperation

Servings makes approximately 25 pieces

Ingredients

2 cups (240g) dried and peeled broad beans

4 cloves garlic, peeled

¼ cup coriander leaves and stems, packed

⅓ cup parsley leaves, packed

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

White sesame seeds

Vegetable, canola or sunflower oil, for deep-frying

To Serve

Flatbread

Sliced tomatoes 

Iceberg lettuce leaves

Red onion 

Parlsey 

Mint leaves 

Arabic pickles

Tarator Sauce (Tahini sauce)

100g tahini

120ml water

40ml fresh lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the dried and peeled broad beans in room temperature water for 12 hours, draining and rinsing them once halfway through. At 12 hours, rinse again and leave to drain for 1 hour to remove as much water as possible.

Place all the ingredients except for the sesame seeds and vegetable oil in a food processor and process until the mixture is a fine grain-like consistency. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and place in the fridge for 1 hour.

Whilst waiting, prepare the vegetables to serve and the tarator sauce. To make the tarator sauce, blend all the ingredients using a whisk until it forms a smooth sauce. Leave in the fridge until ready to serve.

Heat the oil in a shallow pot. Once the oil is hot (not burning) take 1 tablespoon of the taamiyah mixture at a time. Carefully shape each taamiyah into a round patty approximately 6-7 cm in diameter and no more than 3 cm high, then gently press one side of the patty with sesame seeds. Gently lower the falafel into the hot oil and cook for about 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the outside is golden brown, crunchy and the inside is moist yet cooked through. Remove the taamiyah with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack.

Serve the hot taamiyah immediately with the flatbread, tahini sauce, pickles and prepared vegetables.