A Fava Bean Breakfast

This time I remembered to soak the beans before going to bed.  I've been craving this breakfast for a long time and I always think of it at breakfast time!  Small fava beans with an olive oil, garlic and lemon dressing or Foul Mdammas is a traditional breakfast dish.  It's usually served with fresh mint, parsley, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers or Armenian cucumber and pita bread.  Yes, these beans come with an entourage and make for a delicious hearty breakfast.



I use dried beans whenever possible. I just have to plan for it ahead of time, makes a great weekend breakfast.  I soak them overnight and rinse and drain them the next morning, add them to a pot with some water and simmer to get the softness desired.  To thicken the sauce before adding the dressing, I like to smash a few beans in there, but some throw in there a handful of lentils half way through the simmering time.  If you love beans, this is a real tasty option, even served as a dip with some corn chips.







Zesty Fava Beans

300 g small fava beans (little under 2 cups)

3 cups water

1/4 tsp cumin



Dressing and Garnish

1/4 cup lemon juice (1 large lemon)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1 tsp garlic, minced (1 tsp) 

1/4 cup mint, chopped or whole

1/4 cup parsley, chopped (garnish/optional)

2 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak beans overnight.  The next morning, drain, rinse and place in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for about 30-40 minutes until beans are mushy and soft. With an immersion blender, pulse a few times to break up the beans (this will thicken the sauce). Add cumin. Simmer for another 5 minutes and remove from heat.

Place in a large serving bowl. To the beans, add lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and fold into beans to blend.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Add tomatoes, mint, parsley and serve with other seasonal veggies such as Armenian cucumbers, radishes, etc. and pita bread or corn chips.