Foul Mkala Bil Zeit/ Aka Green Fava Beans in Oil is such a simple dish and easy to make, a favorite to many and I bet it will become your favorite “go-to” fava recipe!
Spring is thrilling for many reasons, outdoor greens, flowers, warmth of the sun and abundance of vibrant produce, including green fava beans, or broad fava beans as some call it. One of the amazing ways I grew up eating it is sauteed in olive oil with onion, garlic and cilantro and served with yogurt and some green onions on the side with Lebanese bread. Only a handful of ingredients are needed to make foul akhdar bil Zeit, yet the result is a so satisfying Spring dish, and one bonus worth mentioning is that it is vegan by nature.
Ingredients Needed to Make Foul Mkala Bil Zeit:
- Green fava beans: Try to put your hands on fresh and young green beans. The young beans are tender and will cook faster. The good thing about this recipe, is that you can use the shells as well as the bean puds – two for one.
- Olive Oil: Use the best extra virgin olive oil you can find.
- Garlic: We will be using both slices and crushed garlic. They add so much earth flavor to the dish.
- Onion: Concentrates the flavor of the dish.
- Cilantro: Cilantro adds a burst of freshness and herbaceous flavor.
- Salt: Obviously.
- Red Pepper or chili pepper: optional to add heat to the dish.
- Fresh lemon juice: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavor notes of the dish.
Rinse and wash the beans under running water. You may come across a few black spots on the beans that don’t wash off, that’s totally normal. Drain
Snap the tips of the green fava beans and trim the stem end of each. You could break the stems away with your hands or with a knife. Cut each to 1.5 inch logs.
Removing the strings is a cruscial step, they are quite tough and are unsuitable to eat.
How to make foul akhdar bil zeit?
- Rinse and wash the beans under running water. You may come across a few black spots on the beans that don’t wash off, that’s totally normal. Drain
- Snap the tips of the green fava beans and trim the stem end of each. You could break the stems away with your hands or with a knife. Cut to 1.5 inch logs.
- Finely dice the onion, slice half of the garlic cloves and crush the rest.
- Finely chop the cilantro, and make sure to cut off the bottom stems.
- Heat olive oil to an adequate frying temperature and add the diced onion, sauté to tender, add the sliced garlic, give a quick stir and throw in half of the chopped cilantro, mix together for a 20 seconds and add the fava beans in batches if necessary. Stir well and to infuse the beans with all the other ingredients, keep on sautéing for 8 minutes, until the green beans considerably wilt.
- Add the water, season with salt, bring to a boil, cover up and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes.
- After the mentioned time you will notice the green beans have dried out a bit, add the crushed garlic and the rest of the cilantro. Give a quick stir, and leave it for one more minute.
- Take a bite to adjust salt to your liking.
- Transfer to a shallow plate, add lemon juice and enjoy with Lebanese bread. You can enjoy it with some plain yogurt on the side.
What to serve with Foul Mkala Bil Zeit/ Broad Fava Beans in Oil?
A squeeze of lemon juice, Lebanese bread, green onions and some plain yogurt on the side would be a perfect accompaniment.
Looking for more Lebanese oil based dishes? We got you covered!
- Loubia Bzeit
- Authentic Vegetarian Grape Leaves
- Potato Kibbeh
- Vegan Lebanese Style Beans
- Maghmour, Lebanese Moussaka
- Avocado Kibbeh
- Tomato Kibbeh
Foul Akhdar Bil Zeit/ Broad Fava Beans in Oil
Description
Ingredients
- 1 Kg/ 2 lb 4 oz green fava beans
- 1 onion
- 1 large garlic head
- ¾ cup cilantro
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Chili flakes optional
- 1 fresh lemon
Instructions
- Rinse and wash the beans under running water. You may come across a few black spots on the beans that don’t wash off, that's totally normal. Drain
- Snap the tips of the green fava beans and trim the stem end of each. You could break the stems away with your hands or with a knife. Cut to 1.5 inch logs.
- Finely dice the onion, slice half of the garlic cloves and crush the rest.
- Finely chop the cilantro, and make sure to cut off the bottom stems.
- Heat olive oil to an adequate frying temperature and add the diced onion, sauté to tender, add the sliced garlic, give a quick stir and throw in half of the chopped cilantro, mix together for a 20 seconds and add the fava beans in batches if necessary. Stir well and to infuse the beans with all the other ingredients, keep on sautéing for 8 minutes, until the green beans considerably wilt.
- Add the water, season with salt, bring to a boil, cover up and reduce heat to low, simmer for 35 to 40 minutes.
- After the mentioned time you will notice the green beans have dried out a bit, add the crushed garlic and the rest of the cilantro. Give a quick stir, and leave it for one more minute.
- Take a bite to adjust salt to your liking.
- Transfer to a shallow plate, add lemon juice and enjoy with Lebanese bread. You can enjoy it with some plain yogurt on the side.
Video
Notes
