Bajella

Ingredients

Beans

• 400 gdried whole broad beans, ful
• water, for soaking
• 1.5 litreswater, for cooking

To season

• 2 teaspoonsground cumin
• 1 teaspoonsalt
• juice of 2 limes
• or juice of 1 dried lime, loomi
• 1green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoonsoil

To serve

• hot flatbread or khubz
• chopped tomato and onion
• extra lime wedges
• chilli powder
• a fried egg, optional

Directions

1. Rinse them thoroughly in cold water. Cover them deeply with cold water in a large bowl. Leave them to soak there overnight. Twenty-four hours is better for very old beans. Drain and rinse them before cooking. Put the drained beans in a large heavy pot.
2. Cover them with the fresh water. Bring it to a boil over a high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Cover the pot loosely with a lid. Let them cook for about ninety minutes. Check the water level every half hour.
3. Top it up with hot water as needed. The beans should always stay covered. Add the salt only in the last twenty minutes.
4. Salt added early can toughen the skins. Testing them tells you when they are done. Take out a few beans and press them. They should crush easily under gentle pressure. Boil it down uncovered if there is too much. Add hot water if the pot has gone dry. Seasoning it is done at the end.
5. Stir in all of the ground cumin. Cumin is the dominant flavour and should be generous. Squeeze in all of the lime juice. Crack one open and simmer it in the pot if you have one.
6. Add the finely chopped green chilli. Taste it and adjust the salt and lime. Serving it is done hot in bowls.
7. Ladle the beans and their liquor into bowls. Scatter chopped tomato and onion over them. Put extra lime wedges and chilli powder on the table. Serve hot flatbread alongside. It keeps two days refrigerated and thickens considerably.

Technique

• Favism is a genuine and potentially serious reaction to broad beans in people with G6PD deficiency, which is common in the region where this dish is eaten.
• Loomi, the dried black lime, is a distinctive Gulf souring agent and gives a deeper and more musty sourness than fresh lime.

Substitutions

• Tinned broad beans skip the soaking and boiling entirely and are widely sold.
• Fresh lime replaces dried lime, though the flavour is brighter and less complex.

Variations

• Some shops serve it topped with a fried egg.
• A version mashed smooth is closer to Egyptian ful medames.
• Balaleet and chebab are the other standard Bahraini breakfast dishes.

History

Sold from breakfast carts and small shops in Manama, ladled into bowls straight from the pot.

Frequently asked questions

What is Bajella?

Bajella is a breakfast from Bahrain: broad beans boiled with cumin, lime and chilli, eaten with hot bread. Sold from breakfast carts and small shops in Manama, ladled into bowls straight from the pot.

How long does Bajella take to make?

Bajella takes 10 minutes plus overnight soaking of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 4. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Bajella?

Yes, within limits. Tinned broad beans skip the soaking and boiling entirely and are widely sold. Fresh lime replaces dried lime, though the flavour is brighter and less complex.