That Translator Can Cook: Falafel vs. Ta’ameya

Mashed chickpeas or mashed fava beans (depending on who you ask) mixed with a generous amount of onions, garlic, and spices; formed into balls, and deep fried.

I do enjoy a good falafel sandwich, I’m only human, but I often eat falafel by itself or along with fried cauliflower. When I do order a sandwich, it has to have all the toppings: minced parsley, fried cauliflower, cucumber and tomato salad, blackened eggplant, and pickled cabbage. Ok, so maybe some of those ingredients are more likely to be found at a shawarma stand, but I still want them on my falafel sandwich!

There is a heated debate concerning falafel: which is the best, ta’ameya or falafel? (Ta’ameya is the Egyptian name for its version of falafel that uses fava beans instead of garbanzo beans.)

It all started when I asked a couple of my translator colleagues about a couple issues when I as translating the ‘falafel’ recipe. My Palestinian colleague was outraged by the use of fava beans, but my Egyptian colleague confirmed that this was indeed the Egyptian way of making falafel. However, my Egyptian colleague clarified that it was usually called “ta’ameya,” except in Alexandria, where they still call it falafel because apparently, it’s considered classier to call ta’ameya “falafel.”

According to History Today, “falafel was almost certainly developed in Egypt, although when and by whom is a matter of debate.” In their theory, which does not have written proof other than the lack of mentions of falafel in Egyptian literature, during the British occupation of Egypt, “British officers, having acquired a taste for fried vegetable croquettes in India, may have asked their Egyptian cooks to prepare a version using local ingredients.” After becoming popular in Egypt, it spread to other Arab countries. Other sources have also credited falafel’s origins to Egypt, so Egypt seems to be the most likely place where falafel was created. However, does being the first (ta’ameya) make it the best?

Ok, now it’s the showdown between ta’ameya and falafel. If you haven’t had both yet, here’s how to make falafel (recipe belongs to Nourhan Ibrahim) and ta’ameya (recipe and picture belong to Colors of My Kitchen [ألوانٌ من مطبخي]) so that you can decide: which is better, falafel or ta’ameya?

Falafel

Steps

1. Pulverize the chickpeas in an electric mixer until they become mushy.

2. Add the garlic, onion, parsley, mint, chili pepper, salt, cumin, falafel spices, and baking powder: continue to pulverize until the mixture becomes smooth.

3. Put the mixture in a bag, then put it in the highest section of the refrigerator for an hour.

4. Add baking soda to the mixture, then form the falafel balls and fry them in preheated oil until they brown.

5. Serve the falafel hot.

Ingredients

• 2 kilos of chickpeas, soaked for hours or more

• 500 grams of onion, minced

• 5 cloves of garlic, crushed

• 1 bunch of parsley, minced

• 1/4 cup of mint, minced

• 1/2 chili pepper

• 2 teaspoons of falafel spices*

• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin

• Salt to taste

• 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder

• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda

• 3 cups of oil for frying, depending on how much you need

*I went to my local Middle Eastern market and sure enough, they had packets of falafel spices made by Abido Spices. However, you could make this mix yourself: all you need is coriander, salt, allspice, baking soda, marjoram, basil, garlic powder, onion powder, caraway, fennel, cumin, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon. I’m lazy and I simply bought a packet of the spice blend.

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Ta’ameya

Steps

1. After soaking the garbanzo and fava beans, on the following day, strain them, then hash them with a hand mixer twice along with the aforementioned vegetables, salt, and spices.

2. After the mixture is ready and a half an hour before frying, add a leveled spoon of baking soda (this makes the falafel crispy and crunchy) and a spoonful of baking powder.

3. Fry them as small balls and serve with vegetables, tarator, and pita bread. Bon appetit!

Ingredients

• 2 cups of fava beans, mashed

• 1/4 cup of uncooked garbanzo beans, soaked overnight

• 2 big bunches of cilantro

• 1 medium bunch of parsley

• 3 large onions

• 1 head of garlic

• 1 teaspoon of each of these spices:

  • Paprika

  • Black pepper

  • Cumin

  • Coriander

  • Seven-spice blend

  • Sumac

• 1 tablespoon of salt

• 1 leveled spoon of baking soda

• 1 spoonful of baking powder

Discussion

1. Which is better: falafel or ta’ameya? Do you consider them to be the same thing?

2. Do you typically use/eat cilantro with your falafel/ta’ameya? Or is parsley the only herb that should be used?

3. As language nerds, the burning question we translators have: do you use the masculine or feminine form to describe falafel? (i.e. فلافل لذيذ \ زاكي or فلافل لذيذة \ زاكية) Please include which dialect you speak when giving your answer!

4. I’ve found a lentil falafel (فلافل العدس) recipe before, which seems pretty far out there. Is there only one way to make falafel or is using other beans acceptable? Is there a hierarchy or range of acceptability?

5. Do you think the name ‘falafel’ seems classier than ‘ta’ameya’? Why or why not?