Algerian Cuisine Cuisine Algerienne by Farid ZADI

Chorba bel Foul, Algerian Fresh Fava Bean Soup, Potage de Fèves Fraîches

Ingredients:

Fresh fava beans
Feves fraiches

Fennel
Fenouil

Onions
Oignons

Extra virgin olive oil
Huile d'olive

Samna (clarified butter)

Beurre clarifie

Salt
Sel

What are the quantities? That depends on the size of the onion, the size of the fennel and the amount of fava beans you have. I used a medium sized onion, a big bulb of fennel and a large pile of fava beans.

Algerian Hummus, Purée de Pois Chiches

On the Zadi family farm hummus was made with chick peas that we had grown and dried ourselves. We grow and dry our own fava beans as well.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chick peas
(soak overnight, drain and boil until tender, cooking times will vary)
2 tasses de pois chiches cuit

1/2 cup or more of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tasse d'huile d'olive

Juice of one lemon
Jus de citron

2 cloves of garlic finely minced
2 gousses d'ail emincee

Salt to taste
Sel

Optional garnishes:
Garnitures optionelles:

Turmeric, paprika, fenugreek leaves and lemon wedges.
Curcumin, paprika, feuille de fenugrec frais, et quartiers de citrons

Slata Hummus, Algerian Fresh Chick Pea Salad, Salade de Pois Chiche

Hummus means Chick Peas in Arabic.

In Middle Eastern parts of the Arab speaking world it has become almost synonymous with a pureed chick pea spread with tahini mixed in. Tahini, a sesame seed paste, is as foreign to me as peanut butter.

It is getting late in the season for fresh chick peas, some are starting to look very shriveled. But most are still plump enough to give this recipe a try. It can also be made with dried chick peas.

Fresh chick peas come one or two to a pod. Remove the chick peas from their pods before boiling.

Slata Ful (foul), Algerian Fresh Fava Bean Salad, Salade de Fèves Fraîches

Shelling and peeling fresh fava beans is a family affair. We, well the women, gather at the table to shell the beans while chatting away, about what I do not know.

There is no sense of time when peeling them, each one is done with rhythmic hands, snap back the stem, pull away the 'thread', press to open and pull apart to expose the beans.

The season is getting late here and the beans I  bought this weekend were quite large.

Ingredients:

3 cups of fresh fava beans
3 tasses de feves frais

Juice of one lemon
Jus de citron

Zest of half a lemon
Zest de 1/2 citron

1 tomato concasse
1 tomate en concasse

1/4 cup of Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tasse d'huile d'olive

Salt at the table for seasoning
Sel

Lemon wedges for garnish
quartiers de citrons pour garniture