Cooking method

[andy_e]

I was thinking about Fava beans earlier (don't ask) ... and realised I had no idea what they actually were so I looked them up and in my travels I found this ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames

.. now this is an Egyptian breakfast dish, but part of its name intrigued me ...

medames is a Coptic word meaning "buried." The second word hints at the original cooking method, which involved burying a sealed pot of water and beans under hot coals.

I think this would be fun to try sometime, so my question is: does anyone have any ideas what would make a suitable pot for burying under a bed of coals for cooking this way? I suppose it would have to be able to vent a little without letting in too much ash and dirt but would effectively work a bit like a pressure cooker.

 

[John Fenna]

Excellent with liver and a fine Chianti.....

 

[andy_e]

My secret is out

 

[Nagual]

I was thinking about Fava beans earlier (don't ask) ... and realised I had no idea what they actually were so I looked them up and in my travels I found this ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames

.. now this is an Egyptian breakfast dish, but part of its name intrigued me ...



I think this would be fun to try sometime, so my question is: does anyone have any ideas what would make a suitable pot for burying under a bed of coals for cooking this way? I suppose it would have to be able to vent a little without letting in too much ash and dirt but would effectively work a bit like a pressure cooker.

I'd be tempted to try a old coffee tin or something similar. except with a small hole in it. I'd probably place it on it's side with the hole facing upwards-ish. That way you get maximum surface area to the coals, and the excess steam will escape.

Or why not try it with out a hole, put it in standing up with a big rock on the lid, before burying it in hot coals and embers? In fact after think more on it, I'd prefer this one to my first thought. You wouldn't need a lot of water, as none of it would escape.

Nag.

 

[Matt Weir]

Maybe just try it in a billy if that's what you have with you As Nag said just splash of water will create steam but don't ask me about cooking times as I've never tried fava beans. Are they dried and have to be pre-soaked? If so then in the billy with water overnight, leave just a splash of water in, add crushed garlic,chilli flakes and seasoning. Once soft mix in a sachet of ketchup and breakfast is served

 

[andy_e]

Not a bad idea Nag, though I'd prefer to keep it upright and maybe fill coals in around the tin too, perhaps with a bit of tinfoil over the top and a small hole in the lid to stop it building up too much pressure.

 

[Toddy]

Beans and peas are a hugely rich food source and in our very limited Western diet we don't make enough of them.
I suspect that they were originally cooked in a pot that was partially settled into the hot fire coals and ashes and left there to cook long and slow.

The original pots would have been just pottery ( in Scotland they were hearth fired and before they were cool milk was poured over them inside and out and the milk lipids sealed the pot making it non porous ), probably with a slate for a covering lid.

I've had a shot at this and it makes a very, very good method for cooking things that work well in a slow cooker. Excellent for veggies, beans and stews.

I think if I were trying modern metal camping pots I'd do as we do for bannocks, and use two pots, one inside the other, and cook half happed up with the fire ashes and the like. If you get things too hot they'll pop the lids and you'll get ash inside with your dinner

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Wayland]

I seem to recall that there was an American Western dish that involved beans in a buried pot.

Could even be baked beans? Might be worth checking out.

 

[PJMCBear]

It's in the book, Wildwood Wisdom.

I seem to recall that there was an American Western dish that involved beans in a buried pot.

Could even be baked beans? Might be worth checking out.

 

[Jared]

Read somewhere that some American indians cooked with a similar method. Called bean-hole beans.

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es/me/beans_1