Sudanese Ta’mia
Chickpeas, dill and coriander become Sudanese ta’mia—crisp, flat patties with a soft, herb-flecked center.
About this dish
Ta’mia is Sudan’s version of the broad falafel family. Sudanese Kitchen documents a chickpea-based preparation flavored with garlic, coriander and fresh dill and shaped into small flattened patties before frying. Other Sudanese households may use black-eyed peas or other legumes, but this page follows that documented chickpea version.
Why this dish matters
Falafel-like fried legume foods span northeast Africa and the Middle East, but local formulas differ. Sudanese ta’mia is commonly sold as street food and eaten in bread or on its own. The flattened shape, dill and chickpea base distinguish the specific published version used here. Rather than claiming a single origin for falafel as a whole, this page focuses narrowly on how Sudanese cooks make and serve their own ta’mia.
Legume choice, herbs and shaping vary across Sudanese cooks. This version follows a Sudanese Kitchen chickpea-and-dill formula and should not be read as the only Sudanese ta’mia style.
Preparation notes
Cooking the chickpeas first creates a softer mixture that can fall apart or turn pasty in the oil.
The mixture should hold together when compressed while still showing tiny chickpea particles.
This keeps its lift active instead of letting it sit for hours in the mixture.
Ingredients & detailed method
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked 8 hours or overnight and drained
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 to 5 tbsp water, as needed
- 1 to 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, only if needed for binding
- Sesame seeds, optional for coating
- Neutral oil, for deep frying
Method
- 1.Drain soaked chickpeas very well. Pulse them with garlic in a food processor until coarse and evenly ground; do not process into hummus-like puree.
- 2.Mix in coriander, dill, cilantro if using and salt. Add water a tablespoon at a time until a compressed spoonful holds together.
- 3.Checkpoint: the mixture should feel moist and malleable but not smear like paste. If overly wet, work in flour 1 teaspoon at a time.
- 4.Mix in baking powder shortly before frying. Heat oil to about 350°F.
- 5.Shape heaping tablespoons into small flat discs, pressing edges together firmly. Press sesame seeds onto the surface if using.
- 6.Fry in batches for about 4 minutes total, turning once, until deep golden brown.
- 7.Checkpoint: the exterior should be crisp enough to resist gentle pressure while the center remains soft, green-flecked and fully hot.
- 8.Drain well and serve warm in bread, with salad or with sauces and pickles.
Worth finding before you cook
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