{"id":6009,"date":"2023-07-27T23:25:10","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T23:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/?p=6009"},"modified":"2026-10-02T16:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T16:15:19","slug":"dried-fava-beans-with-cumin-and-lemon-foul-nabet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/dried-fava-beans-with-cumin-and-lemon-foul-nabet\/","title":{"rendered":"Dried Fava Beans with Cumin and Lemon\/ Foul Nabet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Often in my life, I look back nostalgically on my childhood in Beirut in the late 1980s, remembering the street food carts that surrounded Corniche Al-Manara\u2014a seafront social spot offering fresh air and a paved sidewalk for jogging, biking, and walking, all while enjoying the soothing sound of the sea. It was a haven from the stresses of everyday life in the city.<\/p>\n

The food carts offered a modest variety of simple foods that kept us full when we were starving and needed a quick grab-and-go snack. The goodies they served were brimming with soul and simplicity: lupin beans, boiled corn on the cob, kaak<\/strong><\/a>, nuts, coffee, tea, and much more. But my favorite was the boiled fava beans, known as foul (foul nabet), served with cumin and lemon wedges. They were simply seasoned with a mixture of salt and cumin, then generously drizzled with fresh lemon juice just before serving.<\/p>\n

For me, foul nabet is a no-brainer comfort food\u2014perfect for road trips, late-afternoon snacks, and entertaining. More than just a humble street food, it is a delicious symbol of Lebanese and Middle Eastern hospitality.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m assuming most of you have never had this snack\u2014unless you were raised in the Arab world or are of Middle Eastern origin. Long before the age of packaged snacks that now fill supermarket shelves, people across the Middle East snacked on a variety of legumes and earthy ingredients, including foul nabet.<\/p>\n

For a healthy and delicious snack, foul nabet\u2014dried broad beans seasoned with cumin and lemon\u2014is the ultimate answer to savory cravings. Hearty, satisfying, and wonderfully simple, nothing quite beats a good old-fashioned, humble snack.<\/p>\n

To make foul nabet, the beans are cooked slowly over low heat and served warm with salt, ground cumin, and lemon wedges. They\u2019re wrapped in a thick skin that, although edible, is best peeled away before eating. Inside, the beans are soft and tender, with a mild, earthy flavor that makes them perfect for snacking.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Seasoning:<\/strong>
\nSalt and cumin are the classic seasonings for foul nabet, but you can add some heat with cayenne pepper or chili flakes. Combine the seasonings together in a small ramekin.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Storage:<\/strong>
\nThese boiled fava beans (foul nabet) can be enjoyed warm as soon as they are made. They should not be kept in the refrigerator for too long. Foul nabet is a very delicate legume that will keep for only two or three days before the beans begin to turn black. For this reason, if you are not planning to eat them within a few days, it is better to freeze them.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Freezing:<\/strong>
\nLet the foul\/beans cool completely. Portion them into Ziploc bags and stack them in the freezer for storage. I tested this and found that the beans are best when you add a little of the cooking broth to each bag before freezing.<\/p>\n

When you are ready to use them, remove a bag and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat the beans, drain them, and season with lemon juice, cumin powder, and salt.<\/p>\n

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Dried Fava Beans with Cumin and Lemon<\/h2>\n\n