Felafel #2 (deep-fried chick-pea and crushed wheat balls)

30 1\" balls

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ cup Burghul, fine; (crushed
;wheat)
1½ cup Arab bread; coarsely
;crumbled, or 1 1/2 cups
;coarsely crumbled homemade
;white bread
1½ cup Chick-peas, dried; soaked,
;cooked and drained or 2 c
;drained, canned chick-peas
;rinsed under cold water
¼ cup Lemon juice, fresh
2 teaspoons Garlic; finely chopped
2 teaspoons Coriander, fresh; finely
;chopped
1 teaspoon Red pepper; crushed
1 teaspoon Ground cumin
1 teaspoon Salt
Black pepper; freshly ground
Oil or shortening; for deep
;frying

Directions

Place the burghul in a small bowl, pour in enough cold water to cover it completely, and let the wheat soak for about 15 minutes.

Drain thoroughly in a sieve or colander. Meanwhile, drop the crumbled bread into another bowl, add cold water to cover, and soak for 15 minutes or so. Drain the water from the bread and vigorously squeeze the pieces completely dry. Set the burghul and bread aside.

In the jar of an electric blender, combine the garbanzos, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, red pepper, cumin, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Blend at high speed for 1 minute, or until the mixture is reduce to a smooth puree. Transfer the mixture to a deep bowl.

(To make the puree by hand, mash the garlic and ½ teaspoon of the salt with a large mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon to a smooth paste. Beat in the coriander and red pepper, then add the garbanzos and lemon juice and continue mashing until the garbanzos are finely pureed. Stir in the cumin, the remaining salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Or, less arduously, force the garbanzos, lemon juice and garlic through a food mill set over a bowl and beat in the coriander, red pepper, cumin, salt and a little black pepper.) Stir the wheat and bread into the garbanzo puree. Moistening your hands occasionally with cold water, shape the mixture into balls each about 1 inch in diameter. Arrange the balls on wax paper or a plate and let them dry at room temperature for about 1 hour.

In a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet with a deep frying thermometer or in an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat 2 to 3 inches of the oil or shortening until it reaches a temperature of 375 degrees (F). Fry the balls in the hot oil a dozen or so at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. As they brown, transfer them with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain while you fry the remaining batches. Regulate the heat if necessary to keep the oil at 375 degrees during the entire cooking process.

Mound the felafel on a heated platter and serve hat as an accompaniment to drinks or as a first course.

Source: Time Life Series: Middle Eastern Cooking "circa '69" MMed by: earl.cravens@... Beach, CA * 310-543-0439 28.8k (1:102/125) Submitted By MICHELLE HOWE On 08-21-95

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