Ful mesdames

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

However you spell it, it's quite delicious.
I am doing a kind of meze for our lovely neighbours on Monday.
Despite the fact it's so well known, there are a surprising number of 'tweaks'
Unsurprisingly, I cannot get fava beans, so wondered if frozen baby broad beans would do, or any other suitable bean.

Have you got a t & t recipe please?

[Stokey Sue Profile]

For future reference Asian shops often have the Ma Ling brand in cans, labelled as foul medames and as broad beans (but they are brown fava beans)

I think you probably need a dried pulse, I suspect borlotti beans would work quite well?

I think the trick is to cook them until quite soft , the problem with the Ma Ling ones is that I think they aren't as soft as I'd like

Once cooked, just dressed with olive oil, lemon (and/or sumac) and optionally parsley and cumin. Served with hard boiled eggs or labneh quite often, I remember having them for breakfast in Egypt and Syria, loads of variants

[scullion Profile]

if you'd mentioned it a couple of days ago i could have sent you some dried ones (yes, the little brown ones) - i have a large jarful of homegrown.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

My first thought was dried butter beans - they're good at absorbing flavour - don't have a t&t recipe for you - I always wing that kinda thing, tons on the net to pick thro'.

I now have a hankering for judions which I shall now dig out & put to soak..........love this board for inspiration.

[ZeroCook Profile]

Flavour and texture wise, any dried cooked beans or pulses will work. Fresh from frozen baby lima beans would be interesting tho a little different. Chickpeas would work, as would lima beans/butterbeans/judions as mentioned or pinto beans, which turn brown in colour when long cooked, would also be my choice. Canned beans of any type would be totally fine. If you have an Asian, or better still Middle Eastern shop in the area, or even an Asian/MEsection in your local smarket you will likely be able to find canned ful/broad beans in any case. Canned pulses sometimes need further cooking - dump contents into a saucepan with some extra water and simmer on low until soft.

Without starting another bean cooking debate, dry beans or pulses cooked in plenty of water without soaking (crock pot/slow cooker my pref) with a little salt or seasoning produce a great result from a very long simmer (several hours) that leaves the skins intact and insides super soft and creamy.

[scullion Profile]

Without starting another bean cooking debate,

well, you have really because the kidney type beans need a ≥ 10 mins boil to neutralise the toxin before you slow cook them - a step not to be forgotten.
i think we all have our favourite way of cooking dried pulses.

[ZeroCook Profile]

Yes, indeed. Quite right. Red kidney beans aside.

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

I made them with pinto beans - and they went down a treat.
Thank you.