What is falafel
Falafel can actually refer to an entire dish, but more often than not is used to refer to the main ingredient – the falafel ball. They are made from ground chickpeas (like our tasty Cauldron falafels), fava beans, or sometimes even both. When made, chickpeas are often soaked overnight and then ground together with other ingredients like herbs, spices, onions and garlic.
The mixture is then shaped into balls (although they can be other shapes!); traditionally this is either done by hand or with a tool called an aleb falafel. Once shaped, the balls are then either baked or deep fried.
Falafels are low in fat and high in protein, especially when made with chickpeas and filled with plenty of fiber- especially soluble fiber, which some have suggested can help to lower cholesterol. They are also known to have many nutrients including: calcium, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B and many more.