Taamiya (Egyptian Falafel)

About This Recipe

Taamiya (also spelled ta'ameya or taamia) is Egypt's answer to falafel, made from fresh fava beans rather than chickpeas, giving it a distinctive pale green color and a creamy, almost buttery interior. The fava beans are soaked (not cooked), ground with herbs and spices, shaped into balls or patties, and deep-fried until crispy outside and fluffy inside. Taamiya is served as street food in Egypt, stuffed into flatbread with tahini sauce, tomato, and cucumber, or eaten as an appetizer with lemon and hot sauce. The use of fava beans (rather than chickpeas) is distinctly Egyptian and creates a texture that's less dense and more tender than traditional chickpea falafel. Taamiya is eaten for breakfast, lunch, or as a snack and is one of Egypt's most iconic dishes.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gdried fava beans, soaked in water overnight and drained
• 100 gfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• 100 gfresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 30 gfresh dill, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 mediumonion, roughly chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 pinchcayenne pepper
• 1 tspsalt
• 100 gall-purpose flour (or chickpea flour)
• 1 tbspbaking powder
• for fryingvegetable oil
• 1lemon, cut into wedges
• 200 gtahini sauce (tahini mixed with lemon and water)
• to serveflatbread (pita or Egyptian baladi bread)

Instructions

1. 1

   Drain the beans

   Drain the soaked fava beans thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Do NOT cook the beans — they should remain raw. This is crucial to the texture.

2. 2

   Blend the mixture

   In a food processor, combine the drained fava beans, fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, dill), onion, garlic, coriander, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is finely ground but not completely smooth — it should have some texture and hold together when pressed, but not be a purée.

3. 3

   Add the binder

   Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add flour and baking powder. Mix gently with a fork until evenly combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed but still be slightly moist. If too dry, add a tablespoon of water.

4. 4

   Shape the taamiya

   Using two spoons or a small falafel scoop, shape the mixture into 12–16 balls or patties about 4 cm wide. Place on a parchment-lined plate and chill for at least 30 minutes (the mixture is fragile until chilled).

5. 5

   Heat the oil

   Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 160°C (320°F). Use a thermometer.

6. 6

   Fry the taamiya

   Carefully lower chilled taamiya into the hot oil, working in batches. Fry for 2–3 minutes per batch until golden brown and crispy outside. The taamiya should float and sound crispy when tapped. Do not overcrowd the pot.

7. 7

   Drain and serve

   Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve immediately while hot, with tahini sauce, flatbread, and lemon wedges on the side.

Variations

• •

  With chickpeas — use soaked chickpeas instead of fava beans for a traditional falafel (denser texture).

• •

  Green falafel — add more herbs and a handful of spinach for an even greener color.

• •

  With bulgur — add 50g of fine bulgur soaked in water for more substance.

• •

  Baked taamiya — brush with oil and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20–25 minutes instead of frying.

Storage

Uncooked taamiya mixture can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Fry from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to cooking time. Cooked taamiya can be reheated in a 160°C (320°F) oven for 5–8 minutes, though they're best eaten fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions