Mexican cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Habas con Nopales

Soft-cooked fava beans braised with strips of cactus paddle, tomato and chile de árbol into a thick stew.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 300 g dried fava beans
• 300 g nopales (jarred cactus paddles)
• 400 g tomatoes
• 1 white onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 dried chile de árbol (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
• 1 sprig epazote (or 3 sprigs cilantro)
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Soak the fava beans overnight in plenty of cold water, drain the next day and cook in fresh unsalted water for 45–50 min. until soft and bursting at the edges.
2. Rinse the nopales, drain well and cut into finger-width strips; dice the tomatoes and finely chop the onion and garlic.
3. Heat the oil in a pot and toast the chile de árbol for 20 sec. until dark, then remove and crumble coarsely.
4. Sauté the onion and garlic in the same oil for 4 min. until translucent, add the tomatoes and reduce uncovered for 8 min. until a thick sauce forms.
5. Stir in the nopales, beans with about 300 ml of their cooking liquid, and the crumbled chiles, and braise covered for 15 min. until the stew thickens.
6. Let the epazote sprig steep in for the last 3 min., season with salt and pepper and serve hot with tortillas.