Moroccan Fava Bean (Broad Bean) Dip Recipe - Bessara

Dried fava beans (ful in Arabic), garlic, lemon juice and olive oil are used to make a tangy Moroccan dip called bessara. Hummus lovers will like this!
Although similar to hummus, bessara should be a bit thinner – thin enough to pour from the food processor, but thick enough to scoop up with bread. Adjust the thickness to your own preference.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as side dish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups (about 8 oz. or 200 g) dried fava beans
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (or more) reserved cooking liquid
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne pepper
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• additional cumin, paprika and olive oil, for garnish
• chopped parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Soak the dried fava beans overnight in a large bowlful of water. The next day, drain the beans and peel them if they weren't already skinned and split.
Place the peeled fava beans in a pot and cover with a generous amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium or medium-high, and simmer the beans until tender, one hour or longer.
Drain the beans, reserving the liquid.
Transfer the beans to a food processor, and add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid, and spices. Process on high speed until smooth, adding additional liquid if necessary to thin the bessara. It should be thin enough to pour or spread out on a plate. Taste the bessara, and adjust the seasoning if desired.
Reheat the bessara and serve warm. Garnish with any of the following: ground cumin, paprika, hot paprika, olive oil, and chopped parsley.