Yesterday I harvested the last of the fava beans (a.k.a., broad beans). This task reminded me of something: that I haven’t posted a recipe where said legume is the main ingredient.
I’ve long been inspired by an appetizer, foul moukala, that we had at a Lebanese restaurant, Al Waha — all the way in Bayswater, London. Their version is much richer (a lot more olive oil), and included chopped cilantro.
This year we tried a variety of fava beans that wasn’t the usual “Windsor” type found in the US. We planted “Stereo,” a smaller variety, less than half the size of “Windsor.” They also seemed less prone to starchiness, so worked rather nicely in this dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled fava beans; unshelled it’s about 1 1/4 pounds.
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh spearmint
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup shallots, finely diced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
- salt
- (optional) freshly ground pepper
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
Method
- Before sautéing the favas, you want to pre-boil them. Put them and the mint sprigs in a pot of boiling (unsalted) water, wait for the water to return to a boil, then simmer (lid ajar) for 3 to 4 minutes.
- While the favas are boiling, sauté the shallots in another pan in olive oil, along with the coriander and salt.
- Strain the favas and remove the mint. Stir them into the pan with the shallots, and add a tablespoon or two of boiling water (either from the fava water, or a kettle). Cover and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Season with lemon juice and pepper, if desired, then serve with pita bread or lavash.
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