Emirati Bajella

Tender dried broad beans in cumin-turmeric broth, with lemon; four small breakfast portions after an overnight soak.

Preparation: 10 min · Cooking: 1 hr 30 min · Total: 13 hr 40 min · 4 servings

Ingredients

• 250 g dried broad beans (fava beans) — Dry weight, not cooked or canned beans. Unsuitable for people with G6PD deficiency (favism).
• lemon wedges — For serving; amount as desired.
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1000 ml fresh cooking water — Initial cooking allowance, not soaking water; top up with boiling water as needed to keep beans submerged.
• 1 tsp baking powder for soaking — Baking powder, not baking soda. Only for the soaking water, which is discarded; check the product ingredients.
• 1 tsp salt — Adjust to taste.
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• separate soaking water — Enough to generously cover expanding beans during soaking; discard before cooking.

Instructions

1. Sort, rinse and measure

   Sort the dried broad beans and discard stones or damaged beans. Rinse under cold running water and measure the ingredients for four small portions. Fava beans are unsuitable for people with G6PD deficiency (favism); do not serve this dish to them.

2. Soak overnight

   Place the rinsed beans in a large food-safe bowl with the measured baking powder, not baking soda. Add separate cold soaking water to generously cover the beans, leaving room for expansion. Cover and refrigerate for 12–16 hours; the 12-hour timer marks the minimum soak.

   Minimum overnight soak: 43200 seconds

3. Drain and rinse thoroughly

   Drain and discard all soaking water and baking powder solution. Rinse the soaked beans thoroughly under fresh running water until the water runs clear. The measured cooking water is fresh water, not reused soaking liquid.

4. Bring to a rolling boil

   Put the drained beans and measured fresh cooking water in a pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and skim surface foam. Follow any longer initial boiling instruction on the dried-bean package before reducing the heat; this is a stovetop recipe, not a slow-cooker method.

5. Simmer until nearly tender

   Reduce to a steady gentle simmer over low heat and cover with the lid slightly ajar. Cook for about 75 minutes, checking occasionally. Keep the beans submerged with boiling-water top-ups as needed; continue cooking if the centres are still hard before the final seasoning stage.

   Check the simmering beans: 4500 seconds

6. Season for the final 15 minutes

   Once the beans are almost tender, stir in the measured salt, ground cumin and turmeric. Simmer gently for about 15 more minutes so the seasoning spreads through the broth. About 90 minutes total cooking is an estimate, not a guarantee; older beans and larger batches may take longer.

   Final seasoned simmer: 900 seconds

7. Check complete tenderness

   Check several beans: each should crush easily and have a fully soft centre, with no hard or chalky core. If they are not completely tender, continue simmering over low heat and check again. Do not taste raw or partly cooked beans, and do not judge readiness by the timer alone.

   Beans crush easily and are completely soft through the centre, with no hard or chalky core.

8. Serve with broth and lemon

   Ladle the tender beans and warm spiced broth into four small bowls and serve hot with lemon wedges. The lemon is added at serving, not during bean cooking. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C.

Tips

• Soak for 12–16 hours in the refrigerator; the 12-hour countdown is a minimum-soak reminder, not cooking time.
• All measured ingredients scale together; soaking water and boiling-water top-ups remain as needed. Soaking and cooking durations do not scale automatically.
• A 1.5 kg batch is six times this master: 6 L initial cooking water, 6 tsp baking powder for soaking, 9 tsp cumin, 3 tsp turmeric and 6 tsp salt to taste. It makes 24 small portions, or about 12–16 larger portions.
• For that large stovetop batch, allow about 2 hours before seasoning and a further 15 minutes afterward; follow the package boiling guidance and complete-tenderness cue. These are estimates, not tested guarantees.

Common mistakes

• Using baking soda instead of the owner's confirmed baking powder, or keeping the soaking liquid.
• Counting soaking water as part of the fresh cooking-water allowance.
• Serving beans while the centre is still hard, or assuming a timer proves they are safe to eat.

Substitutions

• Use dried broad/fava beans for this method. Canned, split or different beans require a separately adjusted method; do not apply this timing unchanged.
• Adjust salt and cumin to taste after the beans are fully cooked; check baking-powder packaging for ingredients and allergens.

Storage

Refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C); do not leave the whole pot out until completely cold. Use within 3 days.

Reheating

Add a little fresh water if needed and reheat the beans and broth to 74°C (165°F) throughout, stirring for even heating.

About this recipe

Bajella is an Emirati breakfast of tender broad beans served with their spiced broth and lemon. This owner-supplied version uses dried beans, cumin and turmeric.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.