Dried Broad Bean Stew

Ingredients

• Half a kilo dried broad beans
• A bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 head garlic
• Half a kilo lamb pieces, or beef, as desired
• A pinch black pepper
• Half a teaspoon seven-spice blend
• Salt
• Oil or ghee for cooking, as desired
• 1 kilo strained tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Method

1. Soak the dried broad beans in water overnight with 1/2 tablespoon baking soda.
2. The next day discard the soaking water and rinse the beans, then cover them with fresh water and boil them.
3. Discard the bean cooking water.
4. Meanwhile, in a second pot boil the meat with aromatics such as cinnamon, bay leaves, and whole cloves as available—after skimming off any scum, of course.
5. In a third pot sauté the finely chopped coriander (cilantro) with crushed or mashed garlic in ghee or oil.
6. Add the cooked pieces of meat to the garlic and coriander sauté and toss briefly, then add the beans after draining them from their cooking water.
7. Also add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and the meat's cooking liquid.
8. Stir everything together and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer long enough on the stove until the broth thickens.
9. Serve the broad bean stew with vermicelli rice.
10. For more from Ruwaida, here is the tastiest stuffed vine leaves with meat.
11. Also from Ruwaida, try freekeh with chicken and rice.