Chorba Bissara

Broad Bean Soup

The serving of street food begins early in the morning and this dried broad bean soup is a breakfast staple – warming, filling and delicious. It is ladled into bowls from a large, bulbous earthenware jar set at an angle over a charcoal fire.

SERVES 6

350 g (12 oz/2 cups) dried, skinned and split broad (fava) beans or whole dried broad (fava) beans

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

extra virgin olive oil, ground cumin and paprika to serve

Put the broad beans in a large bowl, cover with three times their volume of cold water and soak in a cool place for 12 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking. (If using whole beans, soak for 48 hours in a cool place, changing the water three or four times, then drain and remove the skins.)

Place the beans in a large soup pot, preferably of stainless steel. Add 1.25 litres (44 fl oz/5 cups) water, the garlic and spices. Bring to the boil, then simmer on low heat, covered, for 45–60 minutes, until the beans are mushy; check and add a little more water if the beans look dry. Do not add salt or stir the beans during cooking.

Cool slightly and then purée the soup in batches. Reheat the soup and season to taste. Ladle into bowls and drizzle a little olive oil on each serve. Finish with a light dusting of paprika. Have extra olive oil on the table, and cumin and paprika in little bowls, to be added to individual taste. Serve with bread.

Soak dried broad beans and then skin them before cooking. Ready-skinned beans are more convenient.