This Egyptian version of the falafel is so much a staple food in Egypt that the word ta'miyya derives, in fact, from the Arabic word for nourishment. The best ta'miyya I ever had was in Marsa Matruh in Egypt's Western Desert. We had a newspaper cone full of freshly cooked ta'miyya, which were spicy with onions, garlic, chopped coriander leaves, and parsley and had a little pocket of ground beef in the center. The outside was fried to a deep brown in olive oil and the inside was light green. Rihan, a sweet basil that tastes like mint, was sprinkled on top. Turshy, pickled turnips in this case, although elsewhere we've had carrots and cucumber, which lay on a bed of arugula-like leaves known as gargir in Egypt, were also served. In Egypt, the hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus [L.] Sweet.), also called the Egyptian bean, is also used for making ta'miyya and are used as a substitute for the fava beans.