Google is taking a break Tuesday from its ongoing Women’s World Cup soccer Doodles to honor another ball many get a kick out of. The falafel! The animated Doodle presents the delicious southern style balls that, as Google puts it, are “the best thing that ever happened to chickpeas.”
As the Doodle illustrates, falafel is made with herbs, spices and onions and usually served in a pita. It’s been appreciated for a few centuries and by numerous societies around the globe, despite the fact that its cause is somewhat foggy and dubious. It’s widely thought to have been invented about 1,000 years ago by Egyptians, who use ground fava beans for what they call “ta’amiya.”
Any place it originated from, it’s been on the move ever since. It spread to North America during the 1970s, principally in Arabic, Coptic and Jewish neighborhoods yet has since turned into a typical street food. It’s likewise turned out to be well known in Germany in ongoing decades, where it’s been adjusted by the Arab subculture to incorporate pickles, vegetables and sweet mango sauce.
This isn’t the first run through Google has placed food in the Doodle spotlight. In 2017, Google concocted a slideshow to respect the rice noodle, and a year ago, Google celebrated the Fourth of July with an interactive map highlighting food from across the country
Chickpea-based falafel, which can be set up from numerous points of view, is high in protein, complex sugars and fiber, making it prominent among vegetarians and vegans looking for an alternative to meat-based foods. Chickpeas are also low in fat and contain no cholesterol.
You can also make them as big as you like. In 2012, 10 chefs in Amman, Jordan, worked to create largest falafel ball ever — a 164-pound mammoth.