Dried pea soup with cumin and argan oil

Description

This soup, called bessara, is made from either split green peas or dried shelled fava (broad) beans and flavoured delicately with cumin. Fava beans are available from Middle Eastern shops and the split green peas from supermarkets and Moroccan shops.

Ingredients

300g/10½oz split dried green peas or dried shelled fava beans, rinsed well
1.75 litres/3 pints cold water
4 tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly pan-roasted and roughly ground
¼-½ tsp crumbled dried red chilli
2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
1½ tbsp argan oil (available in specialist food shops and in some supermarkets), mixed with ½ tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Bring the peas or fava beans to the boil with the water and skin off any scum that appears. Simmer for between 40 minutes and 1 hour.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sweet and golden.
3. Add the garlic and cumin and fry for another two minutes until brown. Remove from the heat and add the dried chilli.
4. When the beans are cooked, they should be soft. Mix in the onion mixture and simmer for another five minutes.
5. If you like a very smooth-textured soup, blend with a hand-held blender or in a food processor.
6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir in the fresh coriander.
7. If the soup is too thick, simply add more water and adjust the seasoning (it should be the consistency of double cream).
8. Ladle into bowls and drizzle the argan/olive oil mix on top. Serve.