Bissara

Bissara prepared as a bean dip

Bissara, also known as Bessara and Besarah (Arabic: "بصارة") is a soup and a bean dip in African cuisine, prepared with dried, puréed broad beans as a primary ingredient.[1][2][3][4] Additional ingredients include garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, hot red pepper, cumin, and salt.[1][5] Bissara is sometimes prepared using split peas or chickpeas.[6][7] In Egypt, bissara also includes herbs or leafy greens—particularly parsley, mint, dill, spinach, or molokhiya, though the latter is more commonly added by Egyptian expatriates in Palestine—and is eaten with bread as a dip.[8][9] It is typically inexpensive, and has been described as a pauper's dish.[10][5]

Bissara is a dish in Egyptian cuisine and Moroccan cuisine.[1][11][12] In Egypt, bissara is eaten exclusively as a dip for bread, and is served for breakfast, as a meze, or more rarely, for lunch or dinner. Egyptian bissara includes herbs or leafy greens, hot peppers, lemon juice, and occasionally onion.[8] It is traditionally a rural farmer's dish,[8] though it has become more popular in urban Egypt since 2011 because it is healthier than its urban counterpart, ful medames.[13] In Morocco, bissara is typically served in shallow bowls or soup plates, and topped with olive oil, paprika, and cumin.[7] Bread is sometimes eaten dipped into the dish, and lemon juice is sometimes added as a topping.[7] In Marrakesh, Morocco, bissara is popular during the colder months of the year, and can be found in town squares and various alleyways.[2]

Bissara originated in Pharaonic Egypt, circa 4,000 years ago. It was known to the Ancient Egyptians as "fouleya", and was made with fresh, rather than dried, beans.[13] Fouleya was also called "bees-oro" (بيصارو), meaning cooked beans. This later term is the source of the modern name.[14]

Egyptian emigrants have brought bissara to other countries in the Middle East and North Africa region, namely Palestine, Algeria, and Tunisia.[15] Bissara is relatively popular in Palestine, as it resembles a traditional dish that has been known in Palestine since Canaanite times.[8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Weiss, J.; Chirichigno, P. (2007). Egyptian Cooking English Edition. Bonechi. p. 30. ISBN 978-88-476-0706-4.
  2. 1 2 Valenta, Kyle (June 23, 2016). "How to eat breakfast like a local around the world - Provided By Advertising Publications". The Seattle Times. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  3. ↑ Morse, K. (1998). Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Morroccan Kitchen. Chronicle Books. p. 63. ISBN 978-0-8118-1503-1.
  4. ↑ Good Eating's Global Dining in Chicago: Where to Find the City's Best International, Ethnic, and Exotic Restaurants. Agate Publishing, Incorporated. 2013. p. 71. ISBN 978-1-57284-443-8. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Hal, F.; Hamon, J.; Barbey, B. (2013). Authentic Recipes from Morocco. Tuttle Publishing. p. 47. ISBN 978-1-4629-0540-9.
  6. ↑ "The spice of life in magical Marrakesh..." Independent.ie. June 28, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 Jaffrey, M. (2014). Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World. Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-307-81612-2.
  8. 1 2 3 4 كريم, محمد (2015-11-08). "البصارة... وجبة الشتاء الزهيدة". العربي (in Arabic). Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  9. ↑ Yasmine (March 17, 2016). "Classic Egyptian Bessara". Cairo Cooking. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  10. ↑ Honnor, J. (2012). Morocco Footprint Handbook:. Footprint Handbooks. Footprint. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-907263-31-6. Retrieved September 6, 2016.
  11. ↑ Kitchen, M.B.T. (2010). World Kitchen Morocco. Murdoch Books. p. pt42. ISBN 978-1-74266-500-9. (subscription required)
  12. ↑ Engineers, N.B.C. (2006). The Complete Book on Spices & Condiments (with Cultivation, Processing & Uses) 2nd Revised Edition: With Cultivation, Processing & Uses. Asia Pacific Business Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-81-7833-038-9.
  13. 1 2 El-Wardani, Lina (2010-05-05). "An Ancient Diet". Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  14. ↑ Abu Farha, Sawsan (2014-08-26). "Egyptian fava beans and herbs dip (Egyptian Bessara)". Chef in disguise. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
  15. ↑ Eman (February 13, 2013). "Broad Beans with Mloukhieh (Besara) -". Kitchen of Palestine. Retrieved 2018-05-14.
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