Yellow Fava Beans and Rice

Yellow Fava Beans and Rice

Awhile back I picked up a package of dried fava beans, looking forward to trying them out.  I have only heard of them, but don't think I've ever had them in a dish. 

Of course, this is who I think of when I think of fava beans.

Then I did a little research and found that they are widely used in almost every part of the world. 

So, I probably have had them before, not realizing it.

I saw this recipe in the Awakening Beauty book that I recently received from a friend. 

It sounded like a great recipe for us to try out.

This recipe is a multi-step dish, but the hands-on time is limited.

You start by soaking a cup of fava beans overnight.

When you're ready to start your dish you rinse your beans well, and then soak rice for an hour while you follow the next steps of the recipe.

We used brown basmati rice which the recipe calls for.  I think you could use any rice for this dish.

While the rice is soaking, you heat olive oil in a large pan and add turmeric, cinnamon, and black pepper, sauteing it all on medium for a minute.

Then you add a chopped onion and let it all saute for 10 minutes.

Per usual, I skipped the onion, but I'm sure it adds a great flavor to the dish, and of course a lot of great nutrients.

At this point you add your drained beans and 3 cups of water and bring the dish to a boil.

Then allow it to simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.



Next, add your rice and the water it was soaking in, and bring the dish to a boil again.

Drizzle melted butter over the top and allow the dish to simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in golden raisins, and serve.

Tips:

*This dish was not seasoned enough for my family.  I would add garlic powder earlier in the dish, or saute garlic with the turmeric and cinnamon, and season with more salt if needed.

*You can also add chopped dates when you add the golden raisins.

*You are supposed to sprinkle with some chopped scallions before serving, but we overlooked this step in our fury to get everything on the table!

This is certainly a good dish, and with the right seasonings - it could be a staple in our home!

(Even without a nice bottle of chianti to go with our fava beans!)

Double click to print as a 5x7 recipe card.



Enjoy!