Loubia is a very tasty Bean dish that we cook in general in winter time when the days start to get cold. Even if I live in a desert (Dubai) I love concocting this dish. A slow cooked, simple and comforting dish and much better accompanied with a warm homemade bread on the side.

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Loubia is known in different culture food around the world. Sometimes spicy in a red sauce like today. Sometimes in white sauce or with or without meat. Served for breakfast in some countries or for lunch like in Algeria.

For example in France is called Cassoulet, in Turkey is Kuru Fasulye, in Middle East is Fasolia Yabsa.

Each family has its own recipe. We like our Loubia spicy and with a lot of cumin too.

Loubia means Beans in Arabic language.

Lham means Meat in Arabic language.

For this recipe, I used fresh Shelly Beans.

 

Ingredients:

• 4 lamb chops (to give more taste to the Loubia)
• 1,5 kg of fresh Shelly beans or 400g of dried white beans (Cannelini beans or white Navy beans)
• 4 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 brown onion (grated)
• 4 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 2 ripe tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (mixed with hot water)
• 1 green chili pepper or 1/2 teaspoon of harissa (for the amateur of spicy food)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon of sweet  paprika
• Hot Water
• Coriander (chopped)

Method: (For the shelly beans)

Split the pod open and push out the beans with your thumb.

Wash and rinse, then put them in a colander. 

Method: (For the dried white beans)

Soak the dried white beans in a large bowl with water and  7g of baking soda  overnight for a better taste. 

 

Method:

• In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil and add the lamb chops.
• Cook over a medium-high heat  until the lamb chops becomes golden brown.
• Add the minced garlic, the grated onion, the salt, the paprika, the cumin and the black pepper.
• Simmer for a few minutes over low heat.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste.
• Mix all the ingredients together for a few minutes.
• Pour the beans and add the green chili pepper.
• Cover the beans with 2 liters of hot water and cook on a medium heat for 2 hours for me until the beans are tender and soft (if the beans steel dry pour 1 liter of hot water).
• Serve hot and add some chopped coriander on the top. 
• Drizzle some vinegar on the top for a better taste.
• Served with a homemade bread on the side.

Bonne dégustation!

If the beans steel dry it means that they are not good of quality!