Directions
Lebanese people tend to eat stews, their version of a curry, which is usually served with rice, or it could be eaten with bread. To make this stew, or yakhna in arabic, it doesn't require much effort, just pre-planning, as you will read below.
- Soak the fasoolia ideally overnight in warm water (you could add a tsp of bicarbonate of soda to help making cooking it quicker, this is optional). Drain the water when ready to use, and place into a pot, add water to immerse the fasoolia. Leave to boil over medium/high heat until the fasoolia begins to soften
- In the meantime, place the meat pieces in a large non stick pot over medium heat. Cover, and allow to cook in its own juices, until the meat has changed colour and is nearly cooked with the liquid from the meat absorbed (if meat starts to stick, then add a little boiling water)
- When the meat is ready, add the salt, black pepper and cinnamon, and mix well
- Add the garlic and coriander, and mix well. Leave for a few more minutes until the garlic cooks. Then add the tomato puree, can of tomato and the chicken stock cube. Bring to the boil and mix well
- Drain the fasoolia, then add into the pot with the tomato sauce. Add the cup of boiling water, and bring the heat up to high until the sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and leave until the fasoolia is soft enough to cut (not too soft or it will turn mushy). So mix the mixture very gently from time to time to ensure the mixture doesn't stick, and to check up on the fasoolia. Add more boiling water if the mixture dries up
Serve with white rice (add vermicelli to give it even more flavour... see the recipe for white rice with vermicelli here: http://www.nosaibasfood.com/2013/04/ruz-bil-shiriya-rice-with-vermicelli.html?q=white+rice ) or eat with bread. Either way, enjoy :)
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