17 Elul Milchah should open a restaurant. She has just cooked an amazing meal. We were wondering what to do with yesterdays leftover beans and chickpeas. Usually, I would have mixed them with bulgur, oil and herbs to accompany a salad. But Milchah... She told me her neighbours used to cook in open topped pots and she had a couple at home. Her mother in-law would not have them in the house. We sent the two girls to fetch them from the shed. We felt a little excited about doing something sneaky. Don't tell Shmuel we conspired to go behind her in-law's backs! She set to work as I watched and tended to my spinning. l was intrigued. First, she ground the beans and chickpeas with a stone until they became a mush. Then she mixed in onions, spices and herbs thickening the mix with a little flour. All the while, she was heating some oil in the pot, more oil than I was used to cooking with. She said her neighbours used to cook meat in the oil, but she used this bean mixture. She rolled it into little balls and cooked them in the pot fishing them out with a wooden spoon. Her brothers loved it. They had named the patties "crispy things" she tells me, "well, because they are crispy!" The "crispy things" were so hot... so crunchy on the outside... and so... so... soft on the inside. What is more, they are incredibly delicious. The best food ever! You can keep your southern fried chicken and omelettes I could live on these quite happily! Half way through the afternoon, Shmuel and Yeshua came back saying they were hungry. I guess the scrumptious smell was carried on the breeze. My husband helped himself to some of the food and gave some to Yeshua. Milchah and I chased them from the yard giggling and telling them to wait "like good boys".
"I'll tell your mother!" I called after them as they ran down the road. They thought it was hilarious! Milchah warned me to keep an eye on the oil... not to let it smoke. Otherwise the "crispy things" are so easy and quick. And to my surprise she says they are equally as tasty cold! But, I asked myself, would they ever last long enough to get cold? I don't what has happened to Shmuel. He always used to prefer traditional cooking. But these "crispy things" are a big hit with every one. Milchah cooked so many of them but they all disappeared very quickly. Shmuli asked if he could have some for Galit Yoshi to try, but there were none left! I'll have to get Milchah to make some more tomorrow. [the origin of the word “falafel” is long forgotten, but some dictionaries suggest it is related to an Arabic word for “crispy or crunchy]
"I'll tell your mother!" I called after them as they ran down the road. They thought it was hilarious! Milchah warned me to keep an eye on the oil... not to let it smoke. Otherwise the "crispy things" are so easy and quick. And to my surprise she says they are equally as tasty cold! But, I asked myself, would they ever last long enough to get cold? I don't what has happened to Shmuel. He always used to prefer traditional cooking. But these "crispy things" are a big hit with every one. Milchah cooked so many of them but they all disappeared very quickly. Shmuli asked if he could have some for Galit Yoshi to try, but there were none left! I'll have to get Milchah to make some more tomorrow. [the origin of the word “falafel” is long forgotten, but some dictionaries suggest it is related to an Arabic word for “crispy or crunchy]
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