Hakosem’s Perfect Falafel and Crispy Eggplant Steaks

Falafel

Fast, filling, and cheap, a street-stand falafel is the meal I crave more than any other. The times I’ve made breakfast, lunch, or dinner out of a mana (portion) of falafel are too numerous to count, and here are some of the reasons: the crunch of the falafel against the smushy pita, the hot and crispy falafel flirting with the cool salad, all unified under a blanket of tahini. The good news is that with a few dried chickpeas and a little patience, you can pull it off at home with relative ease. There are many opinions about what makes a falafel perfect; the seasonings, condiments, and ways to stuff a pita vary. Hakosem makes one of the most consistently crispy, greaseless, and delicious falafel balls in town thanks to a handful of fresh herbs and the surprise of sesame and nigella seeds in the mix. Unlike other proprietors, who try to keep the mixture on the less-wet side, Ariel Rosenthal from Hakosem believes oil and water do mix. “It needs to have moisture to be juicy after fried,” Ariel told me. He doesn’t add extra flour or breadcrumbs to his falafel mix. Instead he takes extra care with his frying oil, and you should, too. Try to keep your oil clean, fresh, and consistently heated. Though many people will tell you that you can, don’t reuse old oil for this purpose. Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer if you have one. The results—a fluffy, crunchy, juicy falafel—are well worth the effort.

Makes 24 falafel balls

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 25 hours (including soaking time)

⅔ cup dried chickpeas

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley leaves and tender stems

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems

½ medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves

½ small jalapeño, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

½ teaspoon nigella seeds

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Grapeseed, canola, or another neutral-flavored vegetable oil, for frying

Cauliflower and Turnip Pickles, and Salt-Brined Dill Pickles, for serving

Prepare the chickpeas: Place the chickpeas in a bowl, cover with 4 inches of water, and soak in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, place them in the bowl of a food processor, and process until they’re pulverized into large crumb-like pieces, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the parsley and cilantro to the processor with the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and 2 tablespoons of water and pulse until a unified and bright green mixture is formed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, 20 to 30 seconds (add an extra tablespoon of water if necessary).

In a small bowl, combine the salt, cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, and baking soda. Just before frying the falafel, add the spices to the food processor and pulse until incorporated, 15 pulses.

Heat 2 inches of grapeseed oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until it reads 360°F on a candy thermometer, or a small piece of white bread begins to sizzle and brown immediately when dropped into the oil. Set a colander over a bowl or line a plate with paper towels. Using two spoons, your hands, or a small Pal Ed falafel mold (see photo and description, this page), form the falafel into balls the size of small walnuts. Fry in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the skillet or let the oil temperature drop below about 340°F, until deep golden, 1 to 2 minutes but no more. Serve hot, seasoning with more salt if desired. The falafel mixture and spice mixture can be held separately for up to 24 hours, then combined at the last minute and fried fresh.

To build sandwiches, layer crispy eggplant or falafel in pitas with Israeli salad, hummus (this page), amba (this page), and schug (this page).

Serve with Cauliflower and Turnip Pickles or Salt-Brined Dill Pickles.

Crispy Eggplant Steaks

Ariel’s crispy, juicy fried eggplant steaks (bottom of photo at right) have become famous in Tel Aviv and beyond, and I dare say they’re as satisfying as a real steak. If you want to serve these together, prep the eggplant, then prep the falafel. Then you’ll be ready to fry the eggplant followed by the falafel.

Makes 10 pieces

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (including resting time)

1 medium eggplant (1 pound), preferably long and thin over fat and squat

Kosher salt

Grapeseed, canola, or another neutral-flavored vegetable oil, for frying

½ cup cornstarch

½ cup all-purpose flour

Peel the eggplant, then halve it lengthwise so you have 2 pieces about 4 to 5 inches long. Using a sharp knife, slice the eggplant into ½-inch-thick steaks. Arrange them on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and season each side generously with salt. Let them sit for 45 minutes.

Heat 2 inches of grapeseed oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat until it reads 360°F on a candy thermometer, or a small piece of white bread begins to sizzle and brown, but not burn, immediately when dropped into the oil. In a medium bowl, combine the cornstarch and flour. After the eggplant slices sit for 45 minutes, rinse them under cold running water, let the excess moisture drip off, then dredge the eggplant pieces in the cornstarch-flour mixture, shaking off any excess (don’t worry if some parts are more coated than others; this makes for an incredibly craggy topography of fried goodness). Two or 3 pieces at a time, fry the eggplant, making sure not to overcrowd the pan or let the oil temperature drop below about 340°F, until the eggplant pieces are golden and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain on the salting rack, season with salt to taste, and serve hot.

Cauliflower and Turnip Pickles

Turmeric dyes the cauliflower a lovely shade of yellow, and a few beets transform turnips into perfectly pink batons. This isn’t classic canning; these are fresh veggies meant to be eaten soon after making.

Makes 4 cups of each variety

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 day (including minimum pickling time)

2 medium turnips (1 pound), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick batons

1 medium head cauliflower, stem removed, head cut into small and medium florets (about 4 cups)

2 cups white vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

2½ tablespoons kosher salt

1½ teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon ground turmeric (for the cauliflower pickles)

½ small beet, peeled and thinly sliced (for the turnip pickles)

Place the turnip batons in a medium bowl. Place the cauliflower florets in another medium bowl.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the vinegar, 2 cups of water, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sugar and salt dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour half the mixture, including half the spices and a bay leaf, over the turnips. Add the turmeric to the remaining half, return it to the heat, and let simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the turmeric liquid plus the remaining spices and bay leaf over the cauliflower. Let both bowls sit for 20 minutes. Pack the turnips tightly into 1 quart-sized jar, wedge the beets into the jar, and carefully pour the turnip liquid into the jar all the way to the top. Pack the cauliflower into another quart-size jar and pour its liquid into the jar all the way to the top. Seal each jar and chill. The pickles will be ready to eat after 1 day but ideal after 3 days, and will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

The Pal Ed Falafel Mold

If you’ve ever watched Israeli falafel vendors forming and shaping falafel batter into balls (well, more like little pucks), chances are they’re using a Pal Ed falafel mold. This ingenious spring-loaded aluminum gadget perfectly portions the falafel batter every time, ensuring even frying and uniform shape and appearance. Invented by European immigrant Pesach Bash in the years following World War II, the device has become an icon of the Israeli kitchen, made in assorted sizes—even double molds for vendors in a real hurry—some even suitable for forming patties out of meat, fish, or vegetables. Though Pal Ed makes many other products, this is the one to get—or bring home from Israel as a gift for yourself or someone else.