Google Doodle Is Celebrating Falafel With a Savory Animation
Today, Google is celebrating falafel, or as we call it here in Egypt “ta’amiya”, with a Doodle of three deep-fried pieces of falafel, rushing into a loaf of pita bread filled with herbs, spices, and onions. Google called it “the best thing that ever happened to chickpeas”. Of course, that is one way of making falafel, in Egypt however, ta’amiya is made using fava beans and is usually served with a salad inside a loaf of Egyptian “baladi” bread.
With falafel becoming an international delicacy, many nations have laid claims to its origins, yet it is widely thought that these mouthwatering crispy discs or balls of plant protein were invented some millennia ago by the hands of Egyptian Copts, who used to eat falafel during Easter when they are only allowed to eat a vegan diet.
The dish then spread through trade into the Levant, where the fava beans were replaced with chickpeas as the main ingredient, and then named falafel.
During the ’70s, the Middle Eastern dish made it to the United States with migrating Arabs. Nowadays, it has become a staple in the American fast food industry.
In recent decades, the dish has become popular in Europe, particularly Germany, where it is served with pickles, vegetables, and mango sauce.
There have been other fusions and variations of falafel ranging from sauerkraut to hot sauce. In some parts of the world, some chefs attempted to use jalapeños, roasted peppers, tomatoes, and spicy yogurt to create what they called red falafel, while another variation, orange falafel, was cooked using sweet potatoes, cabbage, honey, and ginger tahina.
It is also worth mentioning that on International Falafel Day, June 12th of every year, the world comes together to appreciate falafel and celebrate the happiness it has brought to bellies all over the world.
