Cooking fava beans: The simple trick that boosts flavour and colour

Are you preparing to cook fava beans? When shopping, don't forget one crucial product. Add it to boiling water, and you'll understand its importance immediately. The difference will be noticeable to the naked eye!

The fava bean season won't last forever, so enthusiasts want to make the most of it. This tasty legume can be an exciting addition to meals and salads, and many people believe it's best eaten "solo." Regardless of how you consume it, you must remember an important rule about cooking fava beans. It's essential, as you'll soon understand.

First, a bit of theory. Fava beans have a high protein content and contain folic acid, potassium, and sodium. Eating them lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, prevents anaemia, and supports the heart, intestines, and nervous system. They are an excellent meat substitute, and cooking them is quick and pleasant. There are only two problems, which fortunately are easy to solve.

First: the smell. While cooking fava beans, you might notice an unpleasant odour. To avoid this, it's worth adding some spices during cooking. Bay leaves, fresh dill, lemon juice, or reliable caraway seeds work great. Even though these ingredients will solve that problem, there's still another: an unappetising change in colour. Don't worry; we'll handle that too.

When cooking fava beans, it's worth remembering one more crucial product. We're talking about baking soda. Admit it: how many times has this cheap kitchen ingredient saved you? And it will do so again. A teaspoon added to the boiling water will keep the fava beans from losing their delicious green colour. That's not all. Baking soda will also make your fava beans cook faster, affecting their taste and texture.

Remember, cooking fava beans should be done without a lid. With the addition of baking soda, the whole process shouldn't take more than eight to nine minutes. And it's ready!