Habas Tostadas, Andean Toasted Fava Beans
Toasted favas are a street and market snack across the Peruvian Andes, usually sold deep-fried and heavily salted under names like habas saladas. This version cooks the dried beans tender, dries them well, and roasts them hard in a dry oven, which gets them properly crunchy with no oil at all. The seasoning stays true to the highlands: freshly toasted cumin, a little smoked paprika and cayenne for warmth, then lime and cilantro tossed in hot off the tray so the salt is never missed. They keep in a jar for a few days and travel well, which makes them worth the overnight soak. Start the beans soaking the night before, and the active work is only about fifteen minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Fava beans, dried, soaked overnight
- 1 tsp Cumin seed
- 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne
- 1 tbsp Lime juice
- 2 tbsp Cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns, freshly ground
Method
- Drain the soaked favas and simmer them in fresh water until just tender, about 40 minutes, then drain again and slip off any tough skins. Cooking them through first is what lets them dry-roast into a snappable crunch later instead of a rock, and peeling keeps the skins from turning to leather in the oven.
- Spread the favas on a clean towel and pat them thoroughly dry. Surface water is the enemy of crunch: any moisture left on the beans steams in the oven and gives you chewy rather than crisp, so take the extra minute here.
- Toast the cumin seed in a dry pan until fragrant, about a minute, then crush it. Toasting whole cumin and grinding it fresh gives ten times the aroma of the pre-ground jar, and this is the spice that makes the snack read Andean.
- Toss the dry favas with the crushed cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne, and black pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a lined tray and roast at 400 F (205 C), shaking every 10 minutes, until deeply golden and crunchy, 30 to 40 minutes.
- Tip the hot favas into a bowl and toss with the lime juice and cilantro. Adding the acid and herb only at the end keeps the lime bright and the cilantro fresh, doing the seasoning that salt would otherwise. They crisp up further as they cool, so let them sit 10 minutes before eating.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 150 calories, 10 g protein, 9 g fiber, 15 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
