** This is part of my vegan Soup to Nuts fava bean recipe series. For a list of different recipes, check out this post about fava beans! **
Side road street sellers, with their little donkey carts with mounds of the bean pods, yelling out their produce is quite common at this time of year. The fresh fuul [Fava bean] season is just another excuse for us Egyptians to snack, just like our love for roasted seeds.
I never had this Egyptian snack fresh, since we were never in Egypt when I was little during its season. We only were able to get frozen bags of the beans to use in a spiced rice dish.
How to snack on Fuul Heraty?
This is typically how Egyptians eat this legume when it is season.
Basically, you open the pod, and pop them in your mouth. But be careful, after a while, your fingers will get a little stained [like a grass stain]. If you are having people over, I suggest you remove the beans from the pod yourself, and then put the beans in cold water until your guests arrive. Drain, sprinkle some salt [optional], and enjoy!
What less known traditional snack do you know?
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you know, I have NEVER had this before? I've heard about it though! I wonder if I can get my hands on fresh fava beans in the States ...
ReplyDeleteHI Heba, I never had it fresh as a kid either because we never visited Egypt during its season. I guess it was the same for you. We either came for Christmas break, and the whole summer vacation. Never in Feb. It's so easy to plant , I am sure you can find it!
ReplyDeletePlanting it is a great idea! I've been dreaming about starting my own little garden soon ... it's gonna happen; I just don't know when! ;) I will add fava beans to the growing list of things I'd love to plant. Molokhia leaves are on the list too, btw.
ReplyDeleteI've never had fava beans this way either - also because I'm rarely in Egypt this time of year but it sounds great! Kind of like an Arab twist on edamame :)
ReplyDeleteIn Malta we used the dried ones to make bean paste (bigilla) and we use the fresh ones to make kosksu - like couscous, but the pasta is bigger and thicker, like chopped up solid straws.
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