Bissara
| Place of origin | Ancient Egypt[1][2][3][4] |
|---|---|
| Region or state | Greater Middle East |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
Bissara,bessara,besarahandtamarakt(Arabic:بصارة)[5][3]is a dish inEgyptian cuisineandMoroccan cuisine.[1][6][7]The dish contains splitfava beans,onions, garlic, fresh aromatic herbs and spices. All ingredients are slowly cooked and then blended together to yield a creamy and fragrant dip or side dish.
Inancient Jewish cuisine,a similar dish, known as "mikpah ful"inrabbinic literature,was commonly consumed.[8]
Etymology
[edit]Food historians believe that the name Bissara originates from theAncient EgyptianHieroglyphic word "Bisourou" (orbissouro),which means "cooked beans".[1][2][3][4][5]
Preparation
[edit]Bissara usespuréedbroad beansas a primary ingredient.[1][2][3][4]Additional ingredients include garlic,olive oil,lemon juice,hot red pepper,cumin,and salt.[1][9]Bissara is sometimes prepared usingsplit peasorchickpeas.[10][11]
Egyptian cuisine
[edit]In Egypt, bissara is eaten exclusively as a dip for bread, and is served for breakfast, as ameze,or more rarely, for lunch or dinner. Egyptian bissara includes herbs or leafy greens, hot peppers, lemon juice, and occasionally onion.[12]It is traditionally a rural farmer's dish,[12]though it has become more popular in urban Egypt since 2011 because it is healthier than its urban counterpart,ful medames.[13]It is typically inexpensive, and has been described as apauper'sdish.[14][9]
In Egypt, bissara also includes herbs or leafy greens—particularlyparsley,mint,dill,spinach,ormolokhiya,though the latter is more commonly added by Egyptian expatriates inPalestine—and is eaten with bread as a dip.[12][15]
Moroccan cuisine
[edit]
In Morocco, bissara is popular during the colder months of the year, and can be found in town squares and various alleyways.[2][16][17]It is typically served in shallow bowls or soup plates, and topped with olive oil, paprika, and cumin.[11]Bread is sometimes eaten dipped into the dish, and lemon juice is sometimes added as a topping.[11]
Similar dishes
[edit]Tova Dickstein,an expert in ancient food, linked the ancientJewishdish known asmikpahormikpah ful,mentioned multiple times inrabbinic literature,to the modern bissara. Ancient sources describe it as a dip made from fava beans, garlic, mint, and olive oil. Due to its frequent appearance in theMishnah,which also includes ahalakhic rulestating that asukkahmay only be abandoned during rain once themikpahhas become wet and smelly, she referred to it as the "national dish"of the ancientIsraelites.[8]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^abcdeWeiss, J.; Chirichigno, P. (2007).Egyptian Cooking English Edition.Bonechi. p. 30.ISBN978-88-476-0706-4.
- ^abcdValenta, Kyle (June 23, 2016)."How to eat breakfast like a local around the world - Provided By Advertising Publications".The Seattle Times.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
- ^abcdMorse, K. (1998).Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Morroccan Kitchen.Chronicle Books. p. 63.ISBN978-0-8118-1503-1.
- ^abcGood Eating's Global Dining in Chicago: Where to Find the City's Best International, Ethnic, and Exotic Restaurants.Agate Publishing, Incorporated. 2013. p. 71.ISBN978-1-57284-443-8.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
- ^abBissara, Egyptian Vegan Dip of Split Fava Beans, البصارة المصرية,22 February 2022,retrieved2 August2023
- ^Kitchen, M.B.T. (2010).World Kitchen Morocco.Murdoch Books. p. pt42.ISBN978-1-74266-500-9.(subscription required)
- ^Engineers, N.B.C. (2006).The Complete Book on Spices & Condiments (with Cultivation, Processing & Uses) 2nd Revised Edition: With Cultivation, Processing & Uses.Asia Pacific Business Press. p. 61.ISBN978-81-7833-038-9.
- ^abDickstein, Tova (2021).The Taste of Ancient Israel: Tales of Food and Recipes from the Land of Israel(in Hebrew). Israel: Ofir Bikkurim. pp. 86–88.
- ^abHal, F.; Hamon, J.; Barbey, B. (2013).Authentic Recipes from Morocco.Tuttle Publishing. p. 47.ISBN978-1-4629-0540-9.
- ^"The spice of life in magical Marrakesh..."Independent.ie.June 28, 2014.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
- ^abcJaffrey, M. (2014).Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World.Potter/TenSpeed/Harmony. p. 103.ISBN978-0-307-81612-2.
- ^abcكريم, محمد (2015-11-08)."البصارة... وجبة الشتاء الزهيدة".العربي(in Arabic).Retrieved2018-05-14.
- ^El-Wardani, Lina (2010-05-05)."An Ancient Diet".Retrieved2018-05-14.
- ^Honnor, J. (2012).Morocco Footprint Handbook.Footprint Handbooks. Footprint. p. 24.ISBN978-1-907263-31-6.RetrievedSeptember 6,2016.
- ^Yasmine (March 17, 2016)."Classic Egyptian Bessara".Cairo Cooking.Retrieved2018-05-14.
- ^"Bissara,le plat chaud anti-froid ".babmagazine.ma.Retrieved2021-12-27.
- ^Rosa., Amar (2 November 2017).Cuisine juive marocaine: la cuisine de Rosa.Editions Gisserot.ISBN978-2-7558-0763-9.OCLC1013172477.
External links
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