The Red Version of Bissara

Name: The Red Version of Bissara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Cuisine: Moroccan, African
Ingredients: 1 cup pinto beans (dry, after soaking it will absorb the water and almost double in size and looks more like a cup and half); 1 zucchini (Levant courgette not European); 2 spring onions; 1 tbsp tomato paste (see How to: tomato paste); 1 tomato (or ten cherry tomatoes); Quarter of a chili (I have a very low tolerance for spicy chili); Filtered water; 1 tsp cumin seeds; ½ tsp coriander seeds; ¼ tsp caraway seeds; 1 fresh bay leaf (dry is fine too); Dash of paprika; Black pepper; Sea or rock salt

19 steps

Prep:10minCook:2h

Bissara is a north African bean dip that I got introduced to the Egyptian version by a friend and since then I have been trying out different versions. I’m pretty sure I have a green version of the green bissara recipe on IG, maybe I’ll upload it here in the future. You can go with any bean here that you like and maybe even in season if you are taking the fresh route. I’m using dried pinto beans today. Please check out the How to: Sprout, to soak and sprout your beans if you want to sprout your beans. Gentle reminder not all grains and beans, while whole, would sprout other factors play a role in a legume or grain not sprouting so don’t worry, just after the second day if no tail is visible just wash and cook. Soaking in many cases is good enough. A tip in advance, in the recipe you will see that I will be straining the bissara for a smoother consistency and easier digestion. The skin of beans can cause some issues to people with color and digestive issues so straining the mixture can reduce any discomfort later on. What to do with what’s strained out? Well I can tell you to mix it with seeds and flour and make a cracker recipe, that will be a grainy cracker. You can compost it as beans are a great nitrogen source for plants. Or you can feed to your chickens if you raise some. Especially with the chili pepper, birds don’t have heat receptors like we do, and it acts as a good antibacterial for your chicks.

Updated at: Sat, 16 Nov 2024 09:01:56 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories191.2 kcal (10%)

Total Fat1 g (1%)

Carbs34.9 g (13%)

Sugars3.7 g (4%)

Protein11.7 g (23%)

Sodium178.3 mg (9%)

Fiber9 g (32%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

1 cuppinto beans

dry, after soaking it will absorb the water and almost double in size and looks more like a cup and half

1zucchini

Levant courgette not European

2spring onions

1 Tbsptomato paste

1tomato

or ten cherry tomatoes

0.25chili

I have a very low tolerance for spicy chili

water

filtered

Spices

1 tspcumin seeds

½ tspcoriander seeds

¼ tspcaraway seeds

Instructions

Step 1

I started by washing, soaking and sprouting the beans. (See description)

Step 2

I dry roasted my spice seeds on low heat on the stove for a couple of minutes until a slight aroma and oils are released.

Step 3

After sprouting, I washed the beans and placed in a pot deep enough to not overflow.

Step 4

Place all the ingredients in with the beans, except for salt I add it half way through the cooking.

Step 5

Pour enough water to cover and be 3 to 4 inches above the beans and veggies. Cover and place on stove.

Step 6

Put it on high heat until it starts to boil. Lower the heat to low and see if it creates any floating impurities, skim off.

Step 7

Allow it to cook for an hour. After the hour stir and add in the salt.

Step 8

Let it cook for another hour.

Step 9

After the second hour your beans should be soft enough, if not cook for another 30 to 60 minutes. Be patient, I love cooking beans because it does teach me patience.

Step 10

Once the beans are soft, you will still have a good inch of water covering the beans.

Step 11

Take out the bay leaf.

Step 12

And now we blend, with a hand emulsion blender or a normal blender, blend until all ingredients and blended.

Step 13

As I mentioned in the description, the mixture won’t be smooth due to the thick skin of beans and tomatoes so I pass it through a chinois.

Step 14

Pass it through any small mesh strainer that you have.

Step 15

Put the mixture back into a pot and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly.

Step 16

Here we want to evaporate the excess moisture to get a thick consistency, but have to stir constantly so the beans don’t settle at the bottom of the pot and burn.

Step 17

Stir until the mixture gets to half or even quarter of its original volume. Once thick enough pour into a serving dish.

Step 18

You can top it with pine nuts, olive oil, greens or any infused oil you like. I topped it with bell pepper infused oil. Now that I’m writing the recipe, I think I would go with confit garlic mashed with its oils as a topping that would be yum.

Step 19

Enjoy with a good sourdough pita, a green salad and fermented of pickled veggies.