Fava beans are the most important vegetable of Egypt. Buy young, tender ones in their season. If they are very young, you can cook them in their pods, which you cut into pieces. Some supermarkets sell young fava beans already shelled in packets, which do not need to be skinned. Older beans have tough skins as well as tough pods. The skinned frozen ones you can buy in Middle Eastern stores are particularly good.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1 pound fresh shelled fava beans

　　Salt

　　1–2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　2 cloves garlic, crushed

　　2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature

　　Pepper

　　2 teaspoons dried mint (optional)

　　

Step 1

Boil the beans in salted water until tender, and drain. Heat the oil in the pan and add the garlic with the beans. Stir over low heat until the aroma rises. Mix the yogurt with a little salt and pepper—and the mint, if you like.

　　

Step 2

Serve the beans with the yogurt poured over.

　　

Variations

Step 3

You may pour the yogurt into the pan with the beans. Stir over low heat, but do not let it boil, or the yogurt will curdle.

　　

Step 4

For ful ahdar bel cosbara, omit the yogurt and add the juice of 1/2 lemon and 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro to the beans.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf