Tamiya: Egyptian Fava Bean Stew

Step 1

Place the dried fava beans in a large pot or bowl and cover with cold water until the beans are submerged by 2 inches; let soak overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Step 2

The next day, drain the soaked beans in a colander, discarding the soaking water; rinse them under cool running water until the water runs clear.

Step 3

Mince the garlic cloves until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 4

Place the cumin seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat; stir constantly for 60 seconds until they smell strongly fragrant and begin to darken slightly.

Step 5

Transfer the toasted seeds to a cutting board or mortar and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of the skillet until broken into small pieces.

Step 6

Pour the olive oil into a large heavy pot and heat over medium heat until it shimmers and slides when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 7

Add the minced garlic and crushed cumin and coriander to the hot oil; stir continuously for 30 seconds until the mixture becomes deeply fragrant and the garlic begins to soften.

Step 8

Add the drained fava beans and vegetable broth to the pot; stir once to combine everything evenly.

Step 9

Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil—you will see large, vigorous bubbles breaking the surface constantly—then immediately reduce the heat to low.

Step 10

Cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring once every 15 minutes, until the beans have completely broken down and the stew looks creamy and thick like porridge.

Step 11

While the beans simmer, fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat; gently lower the 4 eggs into the boiling water and boil for exactly 10 minutes.

Step 12

Remove the eggs from the hot water using a slotted spoon and place them immediately into a bowl of ice water; let them cool for 5 minutes, then peel away the white shell and discard it.

Step 13

Remove the pot of beans from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until the flavors are evenly distributed throughout the stew.

Step 14

Ladle the tamiya into shallow bowls, filling each bowl about three-quarters full with the creamy bean stew.

Step 15

Place one peeled hard-boiled egg in the center of each bowl, nestled into the top of the stew.

Step 16

Scatter the chopped fresh parsley and dill evenly over the top of each bowl, covering the surface with a light layer of green herbs.

Step 17

Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a thin stream over the herbs and eggs in each bowl, creating a glossy finish.

Step 18

Serve immediately with warm flatbread or pita on the side for scooping the creamy stew.