Israeli chef cooks world's largest falafel ball
Record set in New York City is latest in tit-for-tat chickpea war with Lebanon
An Israeli chef has built the world’s largest falafel ball, using thousands of chickpeas, 40 liters of oil and an abundance of spices on Friday in New York City to set the world record.
His falafel ball clocked in at 10.9 kilograms and featured a circumference of more than a meter. The rectangular-shaped falafel ball is big enough to qualify for the Guinness Book of World Records. The record is expected to be verified in the next few days.
The Israeli record is just the latest in a tit-for-tat chickpea war with Lebanon over that other most famous chickpea product: hummus. Most recently, on May 12 of this year, a group of chefs in Lebanon broke the Israeli record for the largest amount of hummus, offering up four-tons of the Middle East’s most famous dip.
The record-wining falafel ball was the kickoff to a week-long Israel celebration in NYC, culminating in the annual Israeli day parade that travels down Fifth Avenue. Taking place on Sunday, the event is expected to attract thousands of Israel supporters. It is being led by Israeli NBA player Omri Casspi. Casspi is the first Israeli to play in the league.
Israeli Consul General Asaf Shariv was quoted as saying that the falafel record is nothing compared to Israel’s next goal: the world’s largest gefilte fish.
Top that Lebanon!
Reprinted with permission from Shalom Life
