Bessara is a middle eastern dish served as a dip or as a soup and is made with cooked fava beans.This can be served as part of a mezze platter.
Preparation time:30 minutes
Serves:6-8
Ingredients:
1 cup dry split fava beans (also called as habas, soaked in water overnight)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cumin
1/2 teaspoon Shatta(red chili paste,optional)
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves
1/8 teaspoon sumac powder
Procedure:
1. Place the fava beans in a pressure cooker in just enough water to submerge them and add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pressure cook for 2 whistles.Drain the water.
2.Roast the garlic on 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
3.Puree the fava beans with the rest of the ingredients except sumac powder. Serve Bessara drizzled with olive oil, cumin and sumac powder on top.
Tips:
This can be diluted with vegetable broth or hot water to make a fava bean soup or served with pita bread or as part of the mezze platter.
Prathima Koneru 
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