Bessara

3 cups broad beans
2 leeks, cut in strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dried mint
1 tablespoon dried molokhia leaves*
salt and pepper, to taste
2 onions, cut in rings and deep fried
4 sprigs of mint (one piece per plate)

Soak beans in cold water for 48 hours, changing water two or three times. Remove skin. Put beans in a pot with 5 cups of water and bring to a slow simmer for 1 1/2 hours until soft. Saute strips of leek in olive oil until tender and add to beans. Blend into a puree, put back in pot and add dried mint, molokhia leaves and salt and pepper. Cook gently, uncovered, until bubbling. Serve hot in small bowls, garnished with deep-fried onion rings, olive oil and fresh mint leaves.

*Spinach may be substituted for molokhia leaves

- recipe courtesy Robert and Carolyn Black,
Trans World Travel Writers