Fava beans – called ful or fool in Arabic – are loaded with good taste and are high in protein, iron and fiber. This recipe pairs fresh, boiled fava beans with the simple additions of salt and cumin.
Kids will enjoy helping you shuck the fresh beans. (Be sure to remove the small "cap" or stem from each bean.) If you can't get fresh fava beans, use frozen ones.
Serves two to three as a side dish.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup shelled fava beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- cumin
Preparation:
Bring a quart of water to boil in a pot. Add the fava beans and olive oil, partially cover the pot, and boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes, or until the fava beans are tender and can be squeezed out of their skins. If you like, add a teaspoon of salt during the last few minutes of cooking. Be careful not to overcook, or the interior of the bean will be mushy rather than intact.
Drain the fava beans, and serve with salt and cumin on the side for dipping.
Note: You can eat the cooked fava bean with the skin, or remove the skin and eat only the tender green bean inside.
