Bessara
Local name : بصارة
Thick, silky dried broad bean soup with garlic and cumin, finished with olive oil and paprika. Morocco's warming street breakfast.
Photo : Miansari66 · CC0
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Rinse the beans and soak them for 4 hours or overnight if you have time. This shortens the cooking but is not essential.
- Drain and put them in a saucepan with the whole garlic cloves, olive oil and water. Bring to the boil and skim.
- Partly cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans crush easily against the side of the pan. Top up with hot water if needed.
- Add the cumin, paprika and salt, then blend with a stick blender to a smooth, thick soup.
- Return to a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring. Adjust the consistency with hot water and check the salt and cumin.
- Serve in bowls with a generous pour of olive oil, a pinch of cumin, paprika and chilli, and a few drops of lemon.
In Moroccan cities bessara is sold from early morning, scalding hot, with bread for dipping. The quality of the olive oil poured on at the end makes all the difference.
.JPG){kind=link}