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Chickpea substitution....

Hey, does anyone know a recipe for Falafel that doesn't include chickpeas?
I have a serious food sensitivity.... and a serious love of falafel....

Plz help :)

hmm.. i don't see why you couldn't use white beans or something... i think most of the flavor is in the seasoning anyway, right?

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There is no substitution for our friend Chickpea27.

Just kidding, Ihaveatuque, I have no idea how to help you, but I always think of Chickpea27 when we discuss the garbanzo bean. ;)

good luck!!  If someone knows, I'm sure they're here!

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I agree, just try it with another bean.
Lentils, maybe?

Then go crazy with the seasonings!  Lots of garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and whatever else you like!

There is no substitution for our friend Chickpea27.

Just kidding, Ihaveatuque, I have no idea how to help you, but I always think of Chickpea27 when we discuss the garbanzo bean. ;)

Haha that was my first thought too.
chickpeas of both kinds are much loved here  :)

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My friend from Egypt told me that her family always makes falafel with fava beans---I have yet to try it, but it sounds good!

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My friend from Egypt told me that her family always makes falafel with fava beans---I have yet to try it, but it sounds good!

that sounds BOMB.  i think it would be fine if you substituted any kind of bean.  just make sure it's a kind that you like.  (for instance yabbit would sub black beans).  i think fava beans would probably be close in flavor, along with greek giant beans, or maybe white beans.  lentils would probably work well too, but i would cook them extra long so they are nice and soft and they mix well

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My friend from Egypt told me that her family always makes falafel with fava beans---I have yet to try it, but it sounds good!

that sounds BOMB.  i think it would be fine if you substituted any kind of bean.  just make sure it's a kind that you like.  (for instance yabbit would sub black beans).  i think fava beans would probably be close in flavor, along with greek giant beans, or maybe white beans.  lentils would probably work well too, but i would cook them extra long so they are nice and soft and they mix well

Fava beans = broad beans, correct? I can buy broad bean felafel in the stoopermarket, so you could make it... uh, if you can get dried fava beans...? 'cause I don't think felafel works nearly so well if the bean is actually cooked, rather than well-soaked and still raw. The first time I made it I'd cooked the beans, and the mix fell apart SO badly.

I'd personally try lima, cannellini or haricot (navy) beans... if I didn't love teh chickpeas so much  ::)  ;)

Edit: Also, I've been served felafel (in a burger) which I swear was made mostly of nuts... like, peanuts... would be crumbly, though. Food for thought.

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Edit: Also, I've been served felafel (in a burger) which I swear was made mostly of nuts... like, peanuts... would be crumbly, though. Food for thought.

yah that would be good, or maybe cooked barley?

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This past summer I picked up a copy of VRG's Vegetarian Journal and it had a special feature on falafel recipes.  There were recipes for all types of beans.  I'm sure I still have it, but I couldn't find it.  I'll keep watch for it.  Some of the recipes looked quite tasty.

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Edit: Also, I've been served felafel (in a burger) which I swear was made mostly of nuts... like, peanuts... would be crumbly, though. Food for thought.

yah that would be good, or maybe cooked barley?

Mmm, barley. Nice and soft and chewy. Interestinggg.

Oh, I sometimes include some soaked burghul(bulgur) in my felafel.

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the best falafel Ive had has been made with fava beans

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i think it would be fine if you substituted any kind of bean.  just make sure it's a kind that you like.  (for instance yabbit would sub black beans). 

She would indeed.  ;D ;D Actually I was thinking; chickpeas are a little denser and sort of "drier" than say cannellini beans (sp?) so favas or what are known in Spanish as "judiones" might be a good way to go. Or indeed, dried lima beans.

(Geez, I got myself a rep!  :D ;))

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This past summer I picked up a copy of VRG's Vegetarian Journal and it had a special feature on falafel recipes.  There were recipes for all types of beans.  I'm sure I still have it, but I couldn't find it.  I'll keep watch for it.  Some of the recipes looked quite tasty.

That's the one issue of Vegetarian Journal that I have.  It's volume XXVI, no. 2 (2007).  They do say that broad (or fava) bean is the most common type of falafel in the world.  They have recipes for fava beans, chickpeas, white beans, soybeans, rice, lentils, corn, and bulgur.  It looks like they might post the issue online, eventually.  They have the issues up until that one here: http://www.vrg.org/journal/

Otherwise, I found a few recipes using fava beans on the web; can't vouch for them though:

http://www.recipezaar.com/228676
http://www.bettycrocker.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?recipeId=34143

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as already stated in this thread, fava beans are a great subsitution

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And you should take Secondbase's word for it.  ;)

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=17204.0

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