chickpeas and wheat, the population in the region grew, developing from families,
year-round. Chickpeas are also cheap, and economical – a modest amount can
into tribes, and eventually, entire societies. The Phoenicians, seafarers from
feed many. When soaked in water, one pound of dried chickpeas will double in
the Lebanese coast, sailed with their ships throughout the Mediterranean and
weight. That same quantity can be ground up, mixed with onions and spices,
distributed the legume to Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and North Africa, and
divided into 100 nuggets and deep-fried to become crispy falafel. Alternately,
from there to the rest of the world. Chickpeas found a place in various cuisines
a pound of chickpeas can be cooked, puréed, and mixed with tahini and lemon
around the globe. They entered pantries and kitchens, becoming an essential
juice to make (at least) five pounds of hummus. If you know these dishes as well
part of local food cultures, taking on the particular aromas and flavors of each
as I do, your mouth is probably watering right now. It seems like the craving to
region. When ground up into flour, they further revealed their culinary qualities:
eat hummus is embedded deep in our DNA. Perhaps we are addicted because
Chickpea-flour batter is used for making gondi (Persian chicken dumplings),
chickpeas really are full of goodness, both for us and for the earth.
cookies and flatbreads (such as the Italian calcioni and farinata, respectively),
fritters (like the Italian panelle), pancakes (think French socca), and as a batter for
Farmers who grow chickpeas proudly tout the plant’s supernatural ability to absorb
deep frying vegetables (see the Indian pakora). However, none of these chickpea
nitrogen from the air. This is no trivial matter, since nitrogen is an elusive element
recipes prepared me for the real surprise of finding chickpea flour in the Golden
that is vital to our existence – it is essential for the creation of amino acids that
Triangle, on the border between Burma and Thailand, where chickpea flour is
make up proteins, which are crucial to sustaining all life forms. Thanks to the
cooked into a spicy porridge that is then poured into a bowl, cooled, and cut
work of a nitrogen-fixing bacteria that colonizes the roots, the element is taken
into cubes called Burmese tofu, which is commonly stir-fried with vegetables
from the air and converted into a form of nitrogen that the plant can actually
and chile sauce, and served over rice.
use. This enriches the soil for the seasonal planting, as well as any future crops
that will be grown on the same land. Every few years, farmers sow the seeds of
Finding these ancient recipes alongside so-called contemporary dishes, such as
chickpeas simply to improve the quality of the soil, prepare it for cultivation,
meringues or vegan omelets, emphasizes how wonderful and unique the ingredient
and increase the chances for a larger, more successful crop of any kind.
is. Despite being ancient, hummus still has a bright future ahead with many
who have yet to discover its greatness. It is these insights that prompted me to
Ancient agricultural methods are what created the ideal pairing of hummus
return to the origins of hummus, dig deeper, find out more about the various
and pita, which together make a perfect meal. Hummus supplies the protein,
chickpea dishes as they are prepared in their respective cuisines, and follow the
while the pita delivers wheat, which contains amino acids. The combination
path of hummus and falafel through various cities, and ultimately, to the people
of the two forms a complete protein. Ever since the domestication of these
who eat and make them.
plants 11,000 years ago, humans have been able to maintain a healthy and
nutritious diet that does not rely on hunting and fishing, or on the need to
To this day, I take great pleasure in revealing the secret for making falafel at
sacrifice domesticated animals that provide other valuable resources, such as
home to those who have never tried it. We are so used to cooking chickpeas for
milk and wool. The chickpea is an ingredient with a long shelf life that can be
hours before we dare taste them whole, it is a real shocker that the beans do not
transformed into satisfying, nourishing food fit for almost any circumstance,
require any cooking before they are fried for falafel. However, it is the starch
in any weather. Two more interesting facts about the chickpea: Eating hummus
in the uncooked chickpeas that is responsible for the stickiness of the batter
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(a texture that disappears once the balls are fried). The crispy texture of freshly
and fluffy texture. These differences stem from variations in the ratios between
fried falafel is hard to beat. The basic batter can be flavored with parsley and fresh
the chickpeas and tahini, as well as the various pounding techniques, and other
coriander, chopped dill, or dried marjoram. In the springtime, it is tempting
culinary subtleties.
to add scallions, green garlic, hyssop, or radish leaves. Cumin and coriander
seeds are the most common spices used to season the mixture, but sometimes,
This book was born from my friendship with Ariel, my co-author, and one of
cardamom or nutmeg are added for a whole other dimension of flavor.
the best hummus-makers I know, among the very best in Israel, and our mutual
understanding that hummus is the most perfect, most delicious, most nutritious
The meeting point of various cultures with raw ingredients, which were introduced
and healthy food on earth. As such, hummus ought to be known and enjoyed by
as a result of global activities, is evident in many dishes. A good example of this
as many people as possible. I believe that the chickpea grain encapsulates within
is falafel: Anyone who grew up eating ta’amiya, the Egyptian-style falafel balls,
it an essential culinary truth, and it cannot be a coincidence that everyone who
is baffled as to how, why, and when chickpeas replaced fava beans as the legume
tastes falafel and hummus gets caught up in the magic, no matter their origin or
of choice. Some believe the reason lies in the not-uncommon sensitivity to fava
background. In this book, you will find many recipes for hummus and falafel,
beans, but I think the answer is simpler: Falafel made from chickpeas is just that
each with its own particular flavor and mystique. As Hazan, a falafel stall owner
much better. This is by no means the only evolution that falafel went through to
in Nazareth, once told me: “There’s a secret in every falafel ball.”
become what it is today. In the early years of the State of Israel, the first people
to make and sell falafel were Yemenite immigrants. They would travel through
cities rolling carts and selling falafel on street corners. In order to allow customers
to eat while standing, the fried spheres were served inside a pita pocket stuffed
Orly Peli-Bronshtein is a culinary expert and chef. She was the chief gastronomic editor
with plenty of cabbage salad, zhug (a spicy Yemenite relish), and tahini sauce.
for Israel’s leading magazine Al HaShulchan (Hebrew for “On the Table”).
Orly has released
Throughout the years, hummus, fries, and pickles were also tucked into the
a long line of cookbooks in Hebrew, and collaborated as a deputy writer in international
pita, as well as a wide array of salads. Falafel is sold in a variety of colors and
publications by Janna Gur, including The Book of New Israeli Food and Fresh Flavors from Israel.
shapes, and there is even square falafel, the basis for all of which are chickpeas,
onions, garlic, and hot pepper – pilpel in Hebrew or filfil in Arabic, after which
the falafel is named.
Traditionally, Arabs eat hummus for breakfast, but the Jews in Israel fell in love
with it so completely that they began serving it at every meal too. Addicts will
admit to enjoying hummus all day, every day. Israeli hummus was born as a
mass-produced, industrial product back in the 1950s. It was years later that the
fresh flavor of good Palestinian hummus was rediscovered. By the 1970s, when
Israelis started to recognize the extraordinary traditional foods in their midst,
hummus had won the hearts of everyone, including the most respected chefs. It
was at that time that I, too, rediscovered its charm and enjoyed the never-ending
quest for the best hummus – a well-known Israeli sport. One would be a fool
to think that there is no notable difference between one style of hummus and
another, but the differences are crucial. There is a thick and sweet hummus, one
that is tart and velvety, and there is hummus that is puréed warm, with a light
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T H E T A L E O F M U L L A H N A S R E D D I N
A N D H I S C O A T
Adapted from a traditional folktale
Mullah Nasreddin started working in the fields at sunrise. By the time the sun
began to set he was tired, covered in mud, and hungry from a day of fasting for
Ramadan. It was time to break the fast with a huge feast at his wealthy neighbor’s
home, who invited the entire village for a festive dinner that evening.
Nasreddin did not want to be late, and so he decided to arrive straight from
the field in his day-worn clothes. When he arrived at the door the wealthy man
looked him up and down, from his ragged clothes down to his muddy shoes, and
without a word of welcome, gestured him to come in as he abruptly walked away.
The tables were laden with all sorts of delicious foods: rice, lentils and chickpeas,
olives and bread, hummus, falafel, chicken, and lamb. But best of all were the
desserts: halvah, date rolls, figs, and baklava. Nasreddin joined the hordes of people
who were dressed in their finest clothing, but all the seats around the table were
already taken. No one moved over, spoke to Nasreddin, or offered him food. It
was as if he were not even there. Unable to enjoy the delicacies on his plate, he
decided to leave after a few bites. He hurried home and changed into his finest
clothes. When he returned to the feast, the host saw him in his beautiful coat
and welcomed him with a huge smile, walking him to a seat at the table. The
other guests called over to Nasreddin to sit with them, and offered him food.
Nasreddin picked up a falafel ball, carefully placed it in his coat pocket, and
said: “Eat, coat, eat.” He then fed his coat a handful of chickpeas and other
dishes, and it was not long before everyone in the room stared at Nasreddin in
wonder. “Whatever are you doing? Why are you feeding your coat this way?”
asked the host.
“When I first came to this feast in my shabby work clothes I was not welcome,”
Nasreddin replied. “But now that I have changed into this lavish coat, I am
greeted ever so warmly. It must be the clothes you welcome here at this party,
not the person. This is why I am feeding my coat.”
Nasreddin Hodja.
HIP / Art Resource, NY
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Itzik Luzon brings his North African
roots into his famous Itzik Hagadol
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restaurant, a Jaffa institution.
Hummus
بيبأ لت
H U M M U S A N D M E – I T ’ S P E R S O N A L · C O O K E D C H I C K P E A S F O R H U M M U S
C O O K E D C H I C K P E A S F O R S A L A D S A N D S T E W S · H U M M U S H A K O S E M
H A R I S S A H A K O S E M
Tel Aviv
F R I E D E G G P L A N T H A K O S E M · F A L A F E L H A K O S E M
M O R O C C A N F I S H H A K O S E M · R I C E W I T H C A R A M E L I Z E D O N I O N S H A K O S E M
P I C K L E D C A R R O T S A N D C A B B A G E
ביבא לת
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Hard-boiled eggs are a recent fixing
added to a hearty dish of hummus.
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H U M M U S A N D M E – I T ’ S P E R S O N A L
Ariel Rosenthal (Hakosem)
I was born in Israel in 1975, and when I was two months old, my parents separated
and went their own ways. My father, a restaurateur, was a rolling stone with a
taste for gourmet food.
My earliest memories of him revolve around him deciding what he was going
to eat. On the occasions when he would suddenly reappear into my young life,
I can vividly remember being thrown into his world of delicious aromas and
flavors, and the closeness that came from sharing these experiences with him.
But eventually, he would always disappear again, leaving me nowhere, with an
emptiness that made its home in the pit of my stomach.
My mother didn’t know how to cook and didn’t try to learn. Every time my
father disappeared, nourishing food and the comfort that it brought vanished
as well. Those early years were marked by these two extremes, polar opposites
of a childhood that left me tattooed with memories of feeling both physically
hungry and emotionally starving. I was hungry for a father, for a home, and a
nourishing plate – any plate – to feed me.
My idea of home was blurry, as my mother was always taking my brother and
me on never-ending journeys with no final destination in mind. Aimlessly we
wandered between rented apartments in Tel Aviv, uninviting straw huts in Sinai,
inhospitable hostels in Eilat and, for a short time, we even lived with a foster
family on a kibbutz in northern Israel. When we had exhausted our travel options
in Israel, she took us to Europe, where we repeated the same pattern.
Those were unromantic, painfully hard years, with struggle as the fuel that kept
us in motion. They were hungry years, too, but thanks to the many kind-hearted
and generous people we met along the way, it was a journey punctuated every now
and then with a homemade bowl of something delicious, warm and comforting,
that brought with it the distant notion of a real home.
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With every plate came the realization of a fantasy: Intimacy, a feeling of
multi-stage preparation of the hummus itself – including soaking, cooking,
togetherness; and with every mouthful the buzz of emotional fulfillment. Looking
and crushing the beans, and getting the seasoning just right.
back at it, it was these happy moments, these comforting childhood experiences
that fulfilled all of my spiritual wishes at the time.
There is love in the science of combining all of these elements, and the continuously
evolving knowledge of how to create the perfect bite. A bite that should leave
By the age of 16, I was supporting myself and living on my own. Survival
you hungry only for one thing: The desire to come back for more.
instincts, mixed with my fascination with food, led me to find work in restaurants.
Whether I was working as a waiter, as a bartender, or in the overheated craziness
The chickpea is my world, an awesome magnet with a pull that only gets stronger
of the kitchen as a line cook, it didn’t matter – I loved the work. I loved the
with time. As the years go by and one day follows another (as is said in Arabic,
team spirit and I loved that these restaurants had a dynamic energy that also
“awal min awal”), I acknowledge the power of this mighty yet simple raw
brought a steady supply of the thing I loved most, food. This was an existential
ingredient. The appeal is clear to see: Chickpeas are natural, affordable, available,
discovery. Having direct access to good quality food, prepared meticulously, was
vegan, healthy, and delicious. They can be used to make an endless variety of
perhaps the greatest prize.
dishes across all seasons. But of course, the benefits for me go far beyond the
raw ingredient alone.
After several years of vocational studies and exploring the many roads of the food
industry, I decided to open a hummus and falafel place of my own in Tel Aviv.
If I was asked to describe the chickpea in one word only, that word would
It was intuition that pulled me there, something I couldn’t explain then. But an
Ariel Rosenthal, Orly Peli-Bronshtein, Dan Alexander Page 7