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Caldo de habas
Dried fava bean soup
Caldo de habas: dried fava bean soup with tomato, cumin, mint and coriander for Lent in central Mexico
Few dishes say Good Friday in Mexico City, Hidalgo and Tlaxcala like a bowl of thick, golden caldo de habas, made from peeled dried fava beans cooked down until they almost dissolve. Tomato, onion and garlic give it body, cumin warmth and a handful of fresh mint lifts it, with lime and a pinch of chilli flakes at the table. Cheap, filling and protein-rich, it suits any cold weekday. Look for yellow, peeled split favas at Latin or Middle Eastern shops. Chef's tip: add the mint only at the very end, or it turns grey and loses its scent.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz dried peeled split fava beansrinsed and soaked 4 hours
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 white onionchopped
- 3 cloves garlicchopped
- 3 ripe tomatoesblended
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 8 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock
- 5 ½ oz cooked nopal strips (optional)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 small bunch fresh mintleaves picked
- 1 small bunch fresh corianderchopped
- 2 limescut in wedges
- 1 tsp chilli flakes or chile de árbol, crushed (optional)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over a medium heat and fry the 1 white onion for 6 minutes until soft. Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 tsp ground cumin and stir 1 minute until fragrant.
7 minStep 2: Pour in the 3 ripe tomatoes and fry 5 minutes until the purée darkens a shade.
5 minStep 3: Add the drained 10 ½ oz dried peeled split fava beans and 8 ¼ cups water or vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then simmer partly covered for 40–45 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beans collapse into a thick soup. A common mistake is salting at the start, which keeps the favas firm; salt only once they are soft.
45 minStep 4: Stir in 2 tsp salt and the 5 ½ oz cooked nopal strips, if using, and simmer 3 minutes. Add a splash of water if it is thicker than porridge.
3 minStep 5: Take off the heat, stir in the 1 small bunch fresh mint and 1 small bunch fresh coriander and serve with 2 limes and 1 tsp chilli flakes or chile de árbol, crushed.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does caldo de habas take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 55 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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