Falafel where chickpeas replaced the fava beans. It has been speculated, with no concrete evidence, that its history may go back to Pharaonic Egypt. Other theories propose that it came from the Indian subcontinent, where deep-frying was common, and brought west by Arabs or Turks; or that the chickpea-based food came from Yemen. Falafel grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in much of the Middle East. The croquettes are regularly eaten as part of meze. During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the "iftar", the meal that breaks the daily fast after
Falafel and food), thus meaning "a little piece of food" or "small tasty thing". Nevertheless, in Alexandria, it is called "falafel". The word "falafel" can refer to the fritters themselves or to sandwiches filled with them. The origin of falafel is controversial. A widely held theory is that the dish was invented in Egypt about 1000 years ago by Coptic Christians, who ate it as a replacement for meat during Lent. As Alexandria is a port city, it was possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant,