Pita platter of shiny street carts
Buying falafel in Egypt is as much about the vending experience as it is about the food
Falafel is now a global food, but its origins can be traced to Egypt, where it is known as taamiya, and this is where I like to eat it. Not because I prefer the soft Egyptian version – I favour the crunch of Lebanese/Syrian falafel, which is usually made with chickpeas, or a mixture of fava beans and chickpeas, whereas the Egyptian version is made with only fava beans – but because I can never resist stopping at an Egyptian falafel vendor’s cart.
Egyptian street food carts are probably the most imaginative in the world. The shapes, designs and colours of these change according to the food sold. Falafel carts are long and red, and have a wide ledge, on one side of which is the falafel fryer and, on the other, a mound of pita bread. In between are large bowls piled high with different garnishes, such as pickles, chopped salad and chips, plus a jug of tahina sauce. In Lebanon or Syria, on the other hand, the choice of garnish is limited to pickles, herbs and tomatoes.
The gas bottle, which feeds the burner under the falafel frying pan, is kept by the side of the cart. The panels are covered with Arabic writing: suras from the Quran, the vendor’s name and various superlatives telling you why you should eat at the vendor’s stall.
I also prefer the style of the Egyptian sandwich. While the Lebanese/Syrian pita is very thin, the Egyptian pita is small and thick, and is cut down the middle for the filling.
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