Fassuliyyeh Baidah (white Bean Soup)

baraahnz's Note:

This is served with medium-grain rice. This, as most Palestinian dishes, can be made with either lamb or chicken. The chicken version is as per the lamb version except the following: Once the onion is lightly browned, add chicken and brown. Add water and follow usual directions. When the chicken is cooked, remove chicken and set aside. Before serving, sprinkle chicken with salt, baharat/curry powder and olive oil (optional) and brown under grill. Serve on top of rice with small bowls of soup.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 400 g lamb , pieces (boned or boneless)
• 1 onion
• cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon baharat or 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white beans (there are three types of white beans. large white beans, small white beans and black-eyed beans – al)
• 7 medium tomatoes
• tomato paste (about 2 – 3 teaspoons)
• ½ clove garlic
• fresh parsley or coriander (to garnish)
• salt

Directions:

1. Make a stock in a medium-sized pot by frying the onion until golden then adding water to fill 3/4 of the pot.
2. Add meat (can be frozen), baharat and salt.
3. Cook until meat is ready (about 3/4hr).
4. While the stock is cooking, cook the white beans.
5. Place in small pot with a lot of water.
6. Bring to the boil.
7. When the water boils, turn off heat and leave for 1/2 hr.
8. Heat again and cook until ready.
9. Once the meat is ready, strain stock and then strain stock into medium pot, until it reaches about 1/4 of the pot.
10. Add meat and beans.
11. Put at medium heat.
12. Puree tomatoes with a small amount of water.
13. When the meat stock has reached boiling point, strain tomato puree into pot using a colander.
14. (Swish with your hands to make it much quicker!).
15. Ratio of tomatoes to stock should be about 3:2.
16. Add tomato paste to taste and to achieve a nice red colour.
17. Keep at a light boil.
18. Dice garlic and finely chop parsley/coriander.
19. Fry garlic in a small amount of oil until golden and then add parsley/coriander and fry for a few seconds.
20. Add to soup.
21. Cook soup at a light boil for a further 10 minutes.
22. Serve in small bowls alongside rice.