Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Fava beans and falafel

So DH whispers to me in bed this morning, "what about egga francais, tamaayea and fool..."

Me: "You want me to go or will you?"

DH: "I'll go..."

Me: "No, you're so tired, I'll go."

DH: "ok"

Now that you're like, wtf ? Let me explain.

- Falafel a.k.a. tamaayea (say: tah-may-ah)
- Fava beans a.k.a. fool
- Egga Francais a.k.a. egga francais (LOL, its like beaten eggs with spices and mixed with falafel batter then fried I guess is the best way to describe it, sounds gross, nope its so damn good!)

The above two, being fool and tamaayea are the staples that many people in this country survive on. They are super cheap (1 sandwich is approx. 1.50LE = $0.27) and folks can buy these little pitas stuffed with fava beans and falafel and be full for the whole day. Sometimes they eat these things inside a small pita bread as a sandwich and sometimes they eat the fool, or fava beans from a bowl and dip the bread into it. For a quick meal on the go the sandwiches are the way to go.

Now us, thank God, we choose when we want to eat these little gaseous delicacies, many people don't have a choice and eat this stuff everday as it is all they can afford. So we are very thankful, believe me.

Anyway, i get dressed and go to the souk (shopping area) where we live. Go into a shop that is famous for these types of sandwiches and there is a freakin mob inside. Remember we have no concept of lines here. So there is a bunch of guys waving money in the air at the poor boy by the cash register. I decide no way.

I left my car parked there, decided to take a walk and maybe by the time I got back the mob would have subsided.

Nope.

Same scene about 30 minutes later. I called DH and told him is was not meant for us to eat tamaayea today.

He reminded me of the other restaraunt that sells great sandwiches too, of course I forgot.

So off i go, and it was alot less crowded and in much better order that the other place.

Home finally with two egga francais', two tamaayea's, and 4 fool sandwiches. We devoured ate three sandwiches each with two more being in refrigerator for a later heat up.

So that was my excitement this morning in our little Cairo suburb here, LOL.

I will say that I usually make fool at home. (well i cheat alittle, I buy the canned fava beans and then hook it up my way)  I have yet to try and make the falafel, but it is easy enough and I will try to make someday soon.

If you guys want, here is a simple yummy fava beans recipe you can try at home.

WHAT YOU NEED....

1. One can of fava beans (you can find at any middle eastern store, maybe even like a trader joe's or something, but you'd get the best from an Arabic grocery store.)
2. 1 small lemon
3. Olive oil
4. Cayenne pepper
5. salt
6. ground cumin
7. chopped sauteed onions (optional, if you don't want to use just skip step number 1)
8. Pita bread

WHAT TO DO...

1. chop up a small onion with a bit of oil and sautee in small pot unitl tender. remove from heat.
2. Open can of fava beans and dump into pot, along with juices, do not drain.
3. take a potato smasher and smash up the fava beans, i leave a few whole, but basically smash up most of them.
4. add just a dash of salt.
5. add about a teaspoon of ground cumin.
6. add cayenne pepper to your liking.
7. squeeze juice of lemon.
8. add a splash of olive oil.
9. heat just to boil and then thats it.

Now this way I like to serve them is this....

Spoon some beans into a flat bowl, splash some olive oil on top of them. I like to add the following garnish, but you can leave garnish out and just eat that way they are just as yummy too.

MY SPECIAL GARNISH

1. Chop a few slices of red onion fine
2. Chop a small (or half) green bell pepper finely
3. Chop a handful of black olive slices finely.
4. Chop a small tomato finely.
5. Drizzle of tahina

Okay now you add all these finely chopped veggies around the bowl edge and finish off with a drizzle of tahina in middle of bowl. Looks beautiful! Then i mix all together and eat it mixed up!

Walaah, your perfect egyptian breakfast! Eat with some toasted or warm pita bread and you'll transport yourself to Cairo! LOL, enjoy! Do let me know if you try it.

Oh i am trying not to think about my preg test on the 23rd. Trying to keep my mind busy to pass the time, you know what its working. But of course I do my usual hands on tummy to send good vibes.... Please God let it be this time for us.....love you all! xoxoxoxoxo

9 comments:

  1. Sounds like hummus and that sounds really good! YUM, you've made me hungry for Greek food now. :)

    Oh, I am wishing you good luck!! I don't know when I lost track of your blog but it is back on my list of blogs to read again so I'll be checking back. I hope to see a happy posting when you're ready to share. ******LOTS and LOTS of good thoughts****

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  2. Here from the lushary.

    That looks delicious. But every time I hear fava beans I think of that scene in silence of the lambs and I can't stop giggling. I'll have to try that recipe out.

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  3. Hey FattyPants, when I hear fava beans I too think "Clarice, Clarice.." I very seldom call them Fava Beans, i just say "fool" so I don't get freaked, LOL!

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  4. I so hungry now! Sounds really easy and good.

    The 23rd is just around the corner. Keeping you in my thoughts as I wait for the news.

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  5. Ok, hungry now..hungry hungry hungry. :)

    And wow, they look simple to do..really simple.. I dig simple dishes. :)

    ps Been praying for you. Huge hugs coming your way

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  6. I heart Falafel. I think we pay 5$ for a falafel sandwich at the local Greeek place. It is so good though. yummy.

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  7. Very cute and glad you were able to get them! The only beans to ever cross my lips are "jelly". Not any other kind that I like. LOL.

    Hope you are hanging in there!! Been thinking of you.

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  8. Sounds yummy! I love falafel and will have to give the fava beans a try! :-)


    Sending you lots of thoughts and prayers for the 23rd!!!

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  9. Ditto on the Hannibal Lector reference.

    But you make me nostalgic for mornings of the souk and fool.

    Yum!

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