Bessara Recipe
Bessara
Hearty, yet not heavy
I love this soup in the fall. Hearty, yet not heavy. Comes together with very little effort. If you happen upon some delicious mushrooms, sometimes I serve this soup with a garnish of crispy mushrooms on top. I think it’s a fantastic pairing.
Ingredients
1 pound dried fava beans
Salt
5 garlic cloves |chopped
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
a pinch of cayenne pepper | to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
1 large bunch cilantro | chopped
Instructions
Step 1
Soak the beans in cold water for 2 hours. When you are ready to cook the beans, add a good pinch of salt, and bring them up to a boil. Once you hit a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover, and cook for around 2 hours until the beans a very soft.
Step 2
Once your beans are cooked through, pour the cooking water and beans into a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Depending on the size of your blender, you might need to do a couple of batches. Return the bean puree to the pot.
Step 3
Fry the garlic in a glug of olive oil until golden and crispy. Add the paprika, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne and combine with the oil to make a thick paste. Fry until fragrant.
Step 4
Add the spice paste to the bean puree and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add water to the soup if it begins to become too thick.
Step 5
Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and the cilantro. Taste. Add more salt or lemon juice if necessary. Serve garnished with a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy.