Marhaba! Welcome! (Moroccan Bisara Recipe)

Salam Everyone! I decided to start a blog to post some delicious recipes for you to try. You don't have to be experienced at all to get started with Moroccan cooking. If you make one of the recipes, please tag us on instagram @actuallymoroccan.

Let's start off with one of the basics, Bisara.

Bisara is a Moroccan staple. It is most famous in the northern region, but has become popular all over Morocco. It can be eaten morning, afternoon, or night, in the Summer, Winter, Fall, and Spring. Bisara is similar to split-pea soup, and it is traditionally made with either split peas, Fava beans, or a mix of both.

Here are the simple ingredients:

Water

Garlic

Split Peas and/or Fava Beans (rinse with water before using)

Olive Oil

Cumin

Salt

Chili Powder/Flakes (if you like)

I am not providing exact measurements, because being ActuallyMoroccan means you just sort of throw in a dash of salt here, a cup of water there. A lot of Moroccan cooking is based on each person's specific taste. I will provide some basic guidance on amounts.

This is based on two big bowls of Bisara:

Add approximately 1/2 lb. of split peas, Fava beans, or a mix of both to a pot of boiling water. The water should cover the peas/beans and be about twice the amount. Add two/three big cloves of garlic to the pot. Add a generous amount of olive oil (apprx. 1/8 cup) to the boiling water. Add cumin and salt to taste (apprx. 1/2 Tbs. of each). Stir occasionally (every 10 minutes or so). Let the mixture gently boil for about an hour and a half. As the soup cooks, you may want to add water to create the thickness you like. Once the mixture has cooked for about an hour and a half, you can blend it to get a smooth texture. Place it back into the pot, and gently heat and stir for another 5-10 minutes.

To serve, after ladling into each bowl, it is traditional to add another generous dollop of olive oil on the top, and to add cumin, salt, and/or chili powder/flakes to taste (if you like a little heat).

Stir and enjoy by itself, or with a little bread to dip! B'saha!