Recipe for lūbyā (Meat with black-eyed beans)
SOURCE: Original is from the anonymous Kanz al-fawāʾid fī tanwīʿ al-mawāʾid, as translated by Nawal Nasrallah, in Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table: A Fourteenth Century Egyptian Cookbook
, recipe #96, p. 136. Modern version by Mathilde Eschenbach.
ORIGINAL:
You need meat, black-eyed beans [fresh or dried], garlic, black pepper, and cilantro. Boil the meat, [drain off its broth], and fry it with the garlic, cilantro and black pepper until done. Pour a small amount of the broth back into the pot, throw in the [prepared] beans, and let the pot cook until the beans are done and the broth is all gone except for its fat and spices and herbs.
NOTES:
This can be made with beef or lamb. Although "meat" wouldn't include chicken, I have also tried this with chicken thighs (see photo), which was just as good.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb meat
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1 bunch chopped cilantro
- 1 can black-eyed peas, drained
DIRECTIONS:
- Cut up meat, removing any fatty bits.
- Cook in frying pan in some water until nearly done.
- Drain and reserve remaining liquid.
- Add pepper, garlic and cilantro.
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently and adding broth as needed to prevent scorching.
- When garlic is cooked, add black-eyed peas and continue cooking until heated through.
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