Shabbat Recipe: Foul with Yogurt (dairy or pareve)

"Remember the fish which we freely did eat, and the cucumbers, melons,the onions and leeks in Egypt."

If you ever get a yen for Egyptian food, what better time than before Pesach, I say. Here in Tel Aviv, the delicious and beautiful foul (Egyptian fava bean) is in season. Last year I saw them in farmers’ markets in DC, but they may not be readily available fresh until June. They grow in broad, thick, long green pods, and the seeds are beautiful pale gray-ish green. Fresh are fantastic.

You can also use canned fava beans, or dried Foul, which you can find in Middle Eastern or Greek stores.

I don’t know how many servings this recipe actually makes because I “taste” it in all its various stages, and pass spoons around to anyone who happens to be visiting when I cook it. But it probably serves about 6 people, depending on what else you’re serving.
I serve it as a main dish. It’s SOOO good.

Ingredients
3-4 cups of foul (fresh, dried that have been cooked, or canned)
4 or5 tomatoes, chopped
1 large, finely chopped onion. I use yellow onion.
2-3 cloves crushed garlic
2-3 Tbs olive oil or butter, for cooking the onion
salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
cumin
coriander
a squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt (I use the full fat or kefir because pectin makes the yogurt curdle)

FOR PAREVE: use olive oil and soy yogurt

Method: if you are using fresh foul, you’ll need to cook them for about 10 minutes, or until soft. Let them set in hot water for another 15 minutes (I found they are very forgiving with various cooking times). Run cold water over them, then remove the skins. It’s time consuming, but really worth it.

Sauté the onion in oil or butter until it is translucent, add the tomatoes and cook until they are soft. Add garlic, beans and spices, mix well. Add about 1/2 C boiling water. This softens the foul until some of them break apart and thicken the mixture. Cook for about 15 minutes.

I mixed the yogurt in at the end, but you can also drizzle it on individual servings.

I just have to add that one of the things I like best about being a mother is that I can say with authority, "eat, eat, you're too thin!"
Enjoy!