Dried fava beans (ful in Arabic), garlic, lemon juice and olive oil are used to make a tangy Moroccan dip called bessara. Hummus lovers will like this!
Although similar to hummus, bessara should be a bit thinner – you want it thin enough to pour from the food processor, but thick enough to scoop up with bread. Adjust the thickness to your own preference.
Traditionally bessara is served warm in a heated dish. Garnish with any of the suggestions below.
Remember to soak the dried beans overnight in a large bowlful of water.
Yields 3 cups. Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish or appetizer.
- 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz. or 200 g) dried fava beans
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons (or more) reserved cooking liquid
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne pepper
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- additional cumin, paprika and olive oil, for garnish
- chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Soak the dried fava beans overnight in a large bowlful of water. The next day, drain the beans and peel them.
Place the peeled fava beans in a pot and cover with a generous amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-high, and simmer the beans until tender, one hour or longer.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
Transfer the beans to a food processor, and add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, and spices. Process on high speed until smooth, adding additional liquid if necessary to thin the bessara. It should be thin enough to pour or spread out on a plate. Taste the bessara, and adjust the seasoning if desired.
Reheat the bessara and serve warm. Garnish with any of the following: ground cumin, paprika, hot paprika, olive oil, and chopped parsley.
