Meatball of Discord: Who Really Invented Falafel

For decades, Jews and Arabs have been debating the origins of falafel. Muslims accuse Jews of stealing their national dish. Those, of course, defend their rights to falafel as uncompromisingly as they defend the disputed territories. Let's try to look at the question impartially and figure out who is right.

Deep-fried chickpea balls are everywhere in Israel. They can even be seen on tourist postcards. Surveys show that many generally consider falafel to be a symbol of national identity. But the Jews' neighbors in the Middle East also claim rights to this dish and are constantly trying to show it to the whole world.

In 2010, Beirut demonstrated its love for falafel with a record. Local chefs prepared 5,173 kg of balls in a few hours. And in 2012, in Amman, Jordanians made a giant falafel weighing 75 kg. With this they broke the previous record set in the USA at one of the Jewish festivals.

It is very difficult to figure out who has more rights to meatballs made from ground chickpeas with spices. They have been prepared in different countries of the Middle East and North Africa since time immemorial. Chickpeas, also called chickpeas, have been grown there for thousands of years. Archaeologists found it in the Syrian Neolithic settlement of Tell el-Kerkh, which existed as early as 8000 BC.

Most experts believe that the birthplace of falafel is Egypt. True, this dish is called this way only in Cairo. In other parts of the country it is taamia. To make falafel dough, Egyptians use fava beans rather than chickpeas. Chickpea balls are prepared in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine.

In the hot Middle Eastern climate, chickpeas are an ideal product. If dried, it can be stored for hundreds of years. In terms of nutritional value and protein content, Turkish peas are almost as good as meat. True, it does not have a pronounced taste, so you have to add spices.

Once upon a time, falafel had a completely different shape. Flatbreads were made from chickpea dough. Deep-frying the balls is a more expensive late-stage technology that requires large amounts of vegetable oil. Culinary historians believe that the classic falafel that we are all accustomed to did not appear until the 19th century. It was at this time that vegetable oils began to be produced industrially and they became more accessible.

But even relatively recently, in some particularly poor regions of the Middle East, falafel was fried not in olive oil, but in cheap mustard oil. In any case, the price of this traditional fast food is low. It is eaten both on weekdays and on holidays, combined with hummus and mutabal - an eggplant appetizer.

Jews are generally ready to eat falafel every day. An American journalist with Arab roots, Aziz Shihab, author of the book “Taste of Palestine,” told an interesting fact about the dish. It turns out that Israelis fell in love with chickpea balls relatively recently, in the 1940s. They were introduced to them by Jews from Yemen - carriers of Middle Eastern traditions.

Recently, many works have been published about falafel. Some scientists even believe that it is the healthiest fast food in the world. Gastroenterologist Ram Reifen and plant geneticist Chahal Abbo from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem studied chickpeas and reported that these peas reduce the risk of heart attack and hypertension, cancer, and also help maintain youthful skin.

As for the question of the nationality of falafel, it remains open. We can only say one thing - fried chickpea balls not only divide, but also unite different peoples.