Levantine cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Salatet Ful Akhdar

Young green fava beans briefly cooked and tossed warm with scallions, dill and plenty of lemon.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 800 g young fava beans in the pod
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1 bunch dill
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Remove the fava beans from their pods; if the beans are very young, the tender pods can be cut into 3 cm pieces and cooked along with them.
2. Cook the beans in salted water for 6–8 min. until soft but still bright green, then drain and shock in ice water.
3. Nick the thick outer skin of each bean with a thumbnail and peel it off – underneath is the tender green bean.
4. Cut the scallions into fine rings, chop the dill and parsley, and crush the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt in a mortar.
5. Stir the garlic paste with the lemon juice and the olive oil, pour over the still-warm beans and toss gently so the beans stay whole.
6. Fold in the herbs and scallions, season with salt and pepper, and serve the salad warm with flatbread.