In Wikipedia’s infobox, falafel is classified as what type of food? Falafel is classified as a fritter.
A fritter is a food made by coating, shaping, or incorporating ingredients into a batter or mixture and cooking it in hot fat. Falafel fits that description: ground fava beans, chickpeas, or both are mixed with herbs and spices, shaped into balls or patties, and traditionally deep-fried.
Falafel is strongly associated with Middle Eastern cuisine, but its exact origin and historical development are debated. It is most commonly made with fava beans in Egypt and with chickpeas, or chickpeas blended with fava beans, in many Levantine cuisines. The mixture is usually seasoned with ingredients such as parsley, garlic, cumin, and coriander.
“Fritter” describes the food’s preparation and form, not the way it is served. Falafel may be eaten alone, included on a meze plate, or tucked into pita or another flatbread with salad, pickles, and tahini sauce. That is why “flatbread” is a tempting but incorrect option: the bread is a serving vehicle, while the falafel itself is the fried item.