Foul tounsi bil kammoun (Tunisian cumin fava beans)

Method

1. 1

   Soak the dried fava beans overnight in plenty of water, then drain and rinse well, and put them in a deep pot with water to cover by three fingers.

2. 2

   Boil over medium heat for 1 to 1½ hours, until the beans crush easily between your fingers, skimming off the foam from time to time and adding hot water if needed.

3. 3

   In a small frying pan, heat a little olive oil and cook the onion and garlic until soft, then add the ground cumin, paprika and harissa and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   Pour this mixture over the cooked beans and mash some of them with the back of a spoon for a creamy texture while keeping some beans whole; add the salt, black pepper and lemon juice.

5. 5

   Serve the beans hot in small earthenware bowls with a generous drizzle of olive oil, fresh coriander leaves and hot tabouna bread for dipping. This foul is the breakfast with which thousands of Tunisians start their day at the “fouala” carts in the streets of Tunis and Sfax, alongside a glass of pine-nut tea or bitter coffee, a well-rooted morning ritual before the bustle of work.