falafel

Falafel stories and a recipe for tahini sauce

I was sitting in the dentist’s chair getting my teeth cleaned today, which means I got to have a lovely one-way conversation with the hygienist about whatever she wanted to talk about. She had the sharp implements stuck in my mouth, and I was almost upside down, so, yup, I was going to listen to anything she had to say. Lucky for me, she wanted to talk about falafel. Her husband just opened up a falafel and pizza restaurant on New Scotland Avenue, and apparently he has a friend in New York City who makes the “best falafel in the WORLD!!!!” Her husband went down for a week and learned all the falafel tricks.

Somehow between pokes, I prompted her to elaborate on said tricks. I wasn’t a reporter for all those years for nothing.

Well, it seems the guy in the city makes stuffed falafel. Stuffed? Really?

I would have sat up straight except I was suspended head below my hips in a huge chair, and she had control of the buttons. But I was sitting up in my mind. Really? Stuffed?

Yes, with ground beef sometimes. Other things, too. As soon as I could speak I asked for the guy’s number. She texted her husband, who sent her the name of the guy who taught the guy in the city. “This guy’s falafel isn’t awesome, it is more that awesome,” she said to me and the dentist. He had come in mid-falafel saga, and was now poking around in my mouth. As best I could tell from my awkward angle, he seemed equally interested in all things round and fried. Ahhh, gotta love us Jews.

“More than awesome, huh?” he said.

“More than awesome,” she nodded.

I would have nodded, but, you know, sharp things…

As fate would have it, I already had a bowl of chickpeas soaking at home. And since I haven’t had time to track down the master of the falafel universe, who, rumor has it, lives in Patterson New Jersey and makes stuffed falafel that is more than awesome, I made up a batch of what I still contend is the best falafel in this corner of the galaxy. It is at least awesome, I can guarantee you that.

I’ve been tinkering with the recipe since I first put it up. I made this batch with both dill and cilantro. Here is a link to the original post and recipe, but the recipe is touched up a bit. I've been making tahini sauce instead of Safa's peanut sauce, lately. Two out of my three kids love it, and that is good enough for me. The recipe is below. I never measure, but these are my best guesses.

In Albany, you can get Lebanese tahini at Sabah Market on Central Ave.

Basic tahini sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup Lebanese tahini (good tahini is the key here, get the Lebanese kind if you can)
½ clove garlic, crushed
Juice from ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
1/3 - ½ cup water

Instructions:

Blend lemon juice and garlic in small, spice-size food processor or mix well with a fork. Add other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Should not be gloopy. It should run like a thick dressing. Adjust lemon and salt as necessary to give it a good spark and tang.

posted April 8, 2010 | link | comments (9)

filed under: Recipes, falafel, tahini sauce

AllOverAlbany.com

Comments

Very interesting to read as just yesterday when I was in NYC for work, I met an old friend for lunch in the Village at a restaurant called Hummus Place and it was very yummy, but the best part about their falafel was this green sauce which surrounded it..and when asked they said it was just parsley and lemon, so I have to try to replicate it--it looked like the green sauce you can get with Indian food, a very very bright green.

- by Margo on Apr 8, 2010 at 10:12 PM | link

The Bagel Bite used to serve falafel with a green sauce like that. The only place I've found in the Albany area to do so. (Gosh I miss them, mostly because of the green sauce...). Theirs was cilantro, some kind of hot green chili and lemon (I think). Very bright green and sooooo delicious. I need to try and make it, thanks for reminding me.

- by celinabean on Apr 8, 2010 at 10:19 PM | link

Oh falafel. So good. I prefer tahini sauce, but really, anything fried is good for me. Especially when it involves THE BEST BEAN KNOW TO MAN.

Have you noticed a difference in texture in regard to chickpea soaking time? I generally find that 8-12 hours is good, but beyond 15 hours it's absorbed too much water and is only good for making whole beans.

- by Albany Jane on Apr 9, 2010 at 9:40 AM | link

Celina,
Is the new pizza/falafel shop called Layla? I believe Steve has blogged about it in the past week. I too miss bagel bite....

- by llcwine on Apr 9, 2010 at 9:40 AM | link

I've been missing good NYC falafel street carts, but my home experiments with cooked chick peas failed. Your recipe worked perfectly. However, I halved the recipe, and this made enough for four hungry people and enough to freeze. Now if only I could find good pita bread...

- by Marion on Apr 27, 2010 at 10:28 AM | link

I live off New Scotland Avenue and have been waiting for something new and wonderful to arrive - what's the name of the place and where is it?

- by zenzele on May 3, 2010 at 12:43 PM | link

the place is called Layla Pizza & falafel its located on 605 new scotland ave

- by hanadi mustafa on May 3, 2010 at 9:35 PM | link

Celina, we have so much in common. I sent you an e-mail this week about a party for my son who goes to school with yours. Please look up my number and call me asap. Thanks.

- by Holly McKenna on May 5, 2010 at 10:00 PM | link

i have been wondering about layla falafel! we live nearby and will check it out soon! in the meantime, i am going to attempt making falafel tomorrow. thanks!

- by renée on Oct 30, 2010 at 2:44 PM | link

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