How to make it
5 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Rinse the fava beans thoroughly
Rinse the fava beans thoroughly and soak them in a large bowl of water for at least 12 hours or overnight.
12 hrDrain the soaked beans
Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot (or a traditional 'idra'). Add the red lentils, whole small onion, and 4 cloves of garlic.
Cover with 1.5 liters of fresh water
Cover with 1.5 liters (approximately 6 1/3 cups) of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot and simmer very gently for 4-6 hours until the beans are very tender and the liquid has thickened.
6 hrRemove the onion
Once cooked, remove the onion. Use a fork or a potato masher to slightly crush some of the beans directly in the pot to achieve a creamy texture.
Stir in the ground cumin, salt, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil
Stir in the ground cumin, salt, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
A little kitchen wisdom
For the best texture, use small dried fava beans (often called Foul Hamman). The addition of red lentils helps create a creamy consistency and a vibrant color.
