Falafel

The word () is Arabic and is the plural of () 'pepper', borrowed from Persian (), cognate with the Sanskrit word () 'long pepper'; or an earlier , from Aramaic 'small round thing, peppercorn', derived from palpēl 'to be round, roll'. The name is used world-wide. In English (where it has been written falafel, felafel, filafel and filafil), it is first attested in 1936. Falafel is known as (, ) in Egypt and Sudan. The word is derived from a diminutive form of the Arabic word (, 'food'); the particular form indicates a "unit" of the given root in this case (, having to do with taste and food), thus meaning 'a little piece of food' or 'small tasty thing'. The word falafel can refer to the fritters themselves or to sandwiches filled with them. ==History and distribution==

, 1935, from the National Photo Collection of Israel , Palestine The origin of falafel is uncertain. The dish most likely originated in Egypt. It has been speculated that its history may go back to Pharaonic Egypt. However, the earliest written references to falafel from Egyptian sources date to the 19th century, and oil was probably too expensive to use for deep frying in ancient Egypt. Another theory regarding the origins of falafel is that the dish was created when British soldiers from India, craving Indian cuisine, began making or having made replacements for Indian cuisine in Egypt, this theory is plausible and is supported by circumstantial evidence though no strong evidence for it exists. According to historian Gil Marks, the pita falafel sandwich was popularized after Israel's independence and in the 1950s by Jewish Yemeni immigrants. A 19 October 1939 The Palestine Post article is the first mention of the concept of falafels served in a pita bread as a street food. Middle East Falafel is a common form of street food or fast food in Egypt, across the Levant, and in the wider Middle East. The croquettes are regularly eaten as part of meze. During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset. Falafel became so popular that McDonald's for a time served a "McFalafel" in its breakfast menu in Egypt. Falafel is still popular in the Coptic diet, and as such large volumes are cooked during religious holidays. Falafel is consumed as part of the Lenten diet by Arab Christians. Chickpea-based falafel, common in many Levantine cuisines including Israeli and Palestinian, has become widely recognized as a national dish in Israel, where it is a popular street food. The West Waves of migration of Arabs and Turks took falafel through Europe to Germany in particular, where a large Turkish population had put down roots. At first it was a dish consumed principally by migrants. During the early 1970s, the appearance of Turkish food stalls and restaurants made falafel available to the Germans, resulting in a transformation of the recipe. By the 1990's it had began to spread to the broader populace, first as an exoticized "eastern" dish but later it became normalized the dish is a common and popular street food in many cities throughout North America. Vegetarianism Falafel is popular with vegetarians worldwide. While traditionally thought of as being used to make veggie burgers, its use has expanded as more have adopted it as a source of protein. Falafel is used as a meat substitute in some vegetarian recipes for meatloaf, sloppy joes and spaghetti and meatballs. ==Preparation and variations==

Falafel is made from fava beans, chickpeas, or a combination of both. In Egypt, it is typically prepared with fava beans. In Israeli and Palestinian cuisine, chickpeas are commonly used, while in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the wider Middle East, either chickpeas or a mix of both are used. The chickpea-based version is the most popular in the West. Some falafel include a filling inside the falafel dough; Palestinians make a variation of falafel stuffed with sumac and onions. When chickpeas are used, they are not cooked prior to use (cooking the chickpeas will cause the falafel to fall apart, requiring adding some flour to use as a binder). Instead they are soaked (sometimes with baking soda) overnight, then ground together with various ingredients such as parsley, scallions, and garlic. Spices such as cumin and coriander are often added to the beans for added flavor. The dried fava beans are soaked in water and then stone ground with leek, parsley, green coriander, cumin and dry coriander. The mixture is shaped into balls or patties. This can be done by hand or with a tool called an aleb falafel (falafel mould). or it can be served with flat or unleavened bread. Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and other garnishes can be added. Falafel is commonly accompanied by tahini sauce. ==Nutrition==

Homemade falafel is typically around 35% water, 32% carbohydrates, 13% protein, and 18% fat (table). In a reference amount of , homemade falafel supplies 333 calories and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of folate (20% DV), several dietary minerals, and dietary fiber (table). Falafel can be baked to avoid the high fat content associated with frying in oil. == Politics ==

Falafel has taken on a politicized role in various middle eastern countries with arguments over its geographic origin, and accusations of cultural appropriation. In particular, discussion centers around the adoption of the dish into Israeli cuisine as an example of cultural appropriation. The chickpea version has been adopted into Israeli cuisine, where it features prominently and has been called a national dish of Israel, a designation Palestinians and other Arabs have criticized. ==See also==