Tamia

Ingredients

Pulses

• 300 gdried chickpeas
• 200 gdried split fava beans, ful nabed
• soaked overnight, never cooked

Aromatics

• 1onion
• 6 clovesgarlic
• 1large bunch coriander
• 1 bunchparsley
• 3spring onions
• 1green chilli

Spices

• 1 tbspground coriander
• 2 tspground cumin
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 1 tspbicarbonate of soda
• salt and black pepper

To coat

• sesame seeds

To fry

• oil, for deep frying

To serve

• in bread with salad, tahini and shata
• or on a plate with ful

Directions

1. Soak the chickpeas and split fava in plenty of cold water for at least 12 hours, or overnight. Drain them thoroughly and spread them out to dry for 20 minutes. Dry them properly, because surface water makes a wet mixture. Put everything through a mincer, or pulse it in a food processor in batches.
2. Grind it fine but not to a smooth paste. It should be like damp coarse sand, holding together when squeezed but still slightly textured.
3. Use a generous quantity of herbs, since they give the interior its green colour and much of the flavour. Do not add the raising agents yet. Add them at the last moment. Mix the raising agents through quickly.
4. Press each portion into a disc about 6 cm across and 1.5 cm thick, using a falafel scoop or your hands. A thick ball is raw in the middle when the outside is dark.
5. Press one side into sesame seeds if you want them. These need long enough for the raw pulses inside to cook through, and hot oil burns the crust first.
6. Fry them a few at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until deep golden brown. Do not crowd the pan, which drops the temperature and gives greasy fritters. Drain them on a rack rather than paper.
7. Serve them hot, stuffed into bread with chopped salad, tahini sauce and shata, the Sudanese chilli sauce. They must be eaten within minutes of frying, since they soften quickly.

Technique

• Egyptian ta’ameya uses fava almost exclusively and is greener still.
• Shata is the Sudanese chilli sauce and is the standard condiment.
• The mixture freezes well raw and fries from frozen.

Substitutions

• All chickpeas, which gives a Levantine-style falafel.
• All split fava, which gives the Egyptian version.

Variations

• Made with fava alone, as ta’ameya.
• With sesame seeds pressed on.
• Stuffed with a little onion and herbs in the centre.

History

The Sudanese falafel, made from chickpeas and fava, fried in flat discs and stuffed into bread with salad and shata.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tamia?

Tamia is a street food from South Sudan: fried chickpea-fava fritters, the local falafel. The Sudanese falafel, made from chickpeas and fava, fried in flat discs and stuffed into bread with salad and shata.

How long does Tamia take to make?

Tamia takes 30 min plus overnight soaking of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes about 30 fritters. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Tamia?

Yes, within limits. All chickpeas, which gives a Levantine-style falafel. All split fava, which gives the Egyptian version.

What is the most important thing to get right in Tamia?

Use a generous quantity of herbs, since they give the interior its green colour and much of the flavour. Do not add the raising agents yet. Add them at the last moment. Mix the raising agents through quickly.