Fava beans, 5 different ways to cook: Egypt, Iran, Peru, Spain and Italy

Everything starts with a beautiful green pod

Fava Beans and pods

Fava beans are generally eaten while still young and tender, enabling harvesting to begin as early as the middle of spring for plants started under glass or overwintered in a protected location, but even the main crop sown in early spring will be ready from mid to late summer.

The beans can be fried, causing the skin to split open, and then salted and/or spiced to produce a savory, crunchy snack. These are popular in China, Malaysia, Colombia, Peru (habas saladas), Guatemala (habas), Mexico (habas con chile), Gilan (North of Iran) and Thailand (where their name means “open-mouth nut”).

Picture by: Things I made today (Fava Bean Falafel)

EGYPT

Arabic (فول‎‎ fūl) Fava Beans are a common staple food in the Egyptian diet, eaten by rich and poor alike. Egyptians eat fava beans in various ways: they may be shelled and then dried, bought dried and then cooked by adding water in very low heat for several hours, etc. They are the primary ingredient in falafel.

See the full recipe:http://www.thingsimadetoday.com/2015/08/05/fava-bean-falafel-and-the-launch-of-whisk/

Photo by: http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.com (Rice Fava Beans)

IRAN

Broad beans, or “Baghalee” (Persian: باقالی) are primarily cultivated in the central and north parts of Iran.

Dried beans can be cooked with rice, which forms one of the most famous dishes in north of Iran (Gilan) called dami baghalee which means “tumeric rice with broad beans”. In Iran broad beans are cooked, served with Golpar-origan and salt and sold on streets in the winter.

See full recipe: http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.com/search?q=fava

Photo by: www.rainforestcruises.com (Peruvian Pachamanca)

PERU

Habas in spanish (fava beans) are eaten fresh or dried as stew, toasted, boiled, roasted, stewed, soup etc. Habas are one of the essential ingredients of the famous “Pachamanca” in the Andes of Peru.

See full recipe: https://www.rainforestcruises.com/jungle-blog/what-is-pachamanca-and-how-to-make-it-in-peru

Photo by: http://www.salnostrum.com (Favetes)

SPAIN

Broad beans (Spanish: habas) are widely cultivated in Spain. Culinary uses vary among regions, but they can be used as the main pulse in a stew (Favetes, habas estofadas, michirones) or as an addition to other dishes (menestra, paella). In certain regions they can be eaten while unripe or fried and packaged as a snack.

See full recipe: http://www.salnostrum.com/ca/amanida_favetes_amb_sal_pernil_iberic_salnostrum.html

Photo by: http://www.italianfoodforever.com (Braised artichokes and Fava Beans)

ITALY

In Rome, Italy, Fava beans are popular either cooked with guanciale or with globe artichokes, as side dish together with lamb or kid, or raw with Pecorino romano. Fave e Pecorino is the traditional dish for 1 May picnic.

Maccu is a Sicilian soup prepared with fava beans as a primary ingredient.

In Apulia, broad bean purée with wild chicory is typical dish.

See full recipe: http://www.italianfoodforever.com/2008/05/artichokes-and-fava-beans/

Bibliography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_faba