1 no ingredients
Directions
1 lb (2 cups) small navy beans --
: soaked
1/4 c olive oil
1 lg onion -- finely diced
3 sm dried red chilies -- seeded
15 garlic cloves -- minced
1 TB sweet paprika
1/4 ts freshly ground black pepper
4 ts ground cumin
6 oz tomato paste -- canned
2 tomatoes -- coarsely
: chopped
7 c water -- or
: vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1/8 ts cayenne -- or to taste
20 sprigs fresh flat-leaf
: parsley -- chopped
2 1/2 ts salt
10 sprigs fresh cilantro --
: chopped
: Cider vinegar -- or
: red wine vinegar --
: optional
LOUBIA is an Algerian speciality that gets its flavor from DERSA, a
spicy blend of ground dried red chilies (use New Mexican in the US),
garlic, and ground cumin. Dersa is a predominant season ing in the
cuisine. A dash of vinegar is traditionally added to each bowl of
Loubia on serving.
Soak and drain the beans. Set aside. SOAKING BEANS: Rinse and pick
over the beans and soak them overnight in a bowl of water to cover.
Drain and proceed with the recipe. For the quick-soak method, place
the beans in a large soup pot and add 10 cups of hot water. Bring
them to a rolling boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let
the beans stand in the cooking water for at least 1 hour, and
preferable longer. Drain the beans and proceed with the recipe. The
older the beans, the longer they will take to cook. (She recommends
adding salt to the cooking water: up to 2 teaspoons per pound of
dried beans.)
In a large soup pop over medium high heat, heat the oil, and cook the
onion, stirring occasionally, until tender; 6 to 8 minutes. Add the
chilies, garlic, paprika, pepper, and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 2 to
3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the mixture
thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1 cup of the water
or broth and bring to a boil. Add the beans, the remaining 6 cups
water or broth, the bay leaves, cayenne, and
10 of the parsley sprigs tied together with cotton string.
Mince the remaining parsley and set aside. Lower the heat to medium
low, cover, and cook the beans until tender, 1 to 2 hours.
Before serving, discard the chilies, bay leaves, and tied parsley.
Season with salt. Stir in the reserved minced parsley and cilantro.
Serve hot with vinegar on the side, if you like.
1996 Kitty Morse. North Africa: The Vegetarian Table. One in a new
series produced by Chronicle Books, San Francisco. This recipe was
found on MC-Recipe List Service "COLLECTION (3) Chili Recipes plus
Pesto," 15 Oct 1996. [patH]
Recipe By : Kitty Morse in North Africa (1996)
From: Path
~0700 (
Servings: 10 servings
Algerian Chili (Loubia B'dersa) Recipe brought to you by Recipe Ideas
Categories: Chili
The History of Recipes
Historians have tracked the existance of recipes way back into antiquity, in truth as far back into history as the Egyptians, and maybe further still. However, in the main part, these ancient recipes were just very simple hieroglyphic or cunieform recipes for meal preparation.
Fascinatingly, the most ancient recipe discovered, according to Professor Solomon Katz, is a collection of ancient tablets in the Sumerian language which recount the baking of bread which is then used to make a drink, quite possibly a form of beer as it is recorded as having made anyone who tried it feel exhilarated and blissful. During the time of the Roman Empire a roman called Apicius compiled a number of documents which described recipes enjoyed by wealthy roman citizens. In his publication, he tells us how the meals were split into appetizers, main meal and desserts, a very modern way of dining. This early Roman chef describes how the ancient Romans made use of many herbs, including many that are still in use today for example basil, mint and asafoetida. In the fifteenth century, people returning from the crusades brought us many new foods, spices and herbs from the holy land, including rosemary and coriander. These new herbs and spices led to an explosion in recipe books, most of which are now in academic collections. Over the following few hundred years, the rich and powerful families of Wesstern Europe tried to serve the best banquets, and consequentially the best cooks and their recipe collections were highly sought after. Nevertheless, it was during the 19th century that cookery and recipe books became popular. Mrs Isabella Beeton in the UK, and the equally well-known Fannie Farmer in the USA, dedicated years of their lives to collecting, verifying, and recording the recipes of their peers. By the arrival of the 20th century, cookery books were increasing in popularity due to better eduction, people having more leisure time and being a little richer. |
We hope you enjoy this Algerian Chili (Loubia B'dersa) recipe.
