Eritrean · appetizer

Hilbet (Fenugreek and Fava Bean Paste)

Hilbet (Fenugreek and Fava Bean Paste) reads citrus 5.8, sourness 5.2 and allium 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Eritrean appetizer, about 26 hr 7 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 2.5 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.4 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.8 · Sourness 5.2 · Allium 4.8 · Salinity 3.6 · Richness 2.7 · Umami 2.5 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Earthy 2.4 · Heat 2.3 · Nutty 2.3 · Sweetness 2.2 · Herbaceous 1.7 · Bitterness 1.7 · Floral 1.6 · Fruity 1.3

What's in it (12)

• fenugreek seeds — 100 g
• cold water — 1000 g
• fava beans — 250 g
• water — 1000 g
• red onion — 100 g
• garlic — 15 g
• fresh ginger — 20 g
• green chili — 100 g
• vegetable oil — 55 g
• lemon juice — 30 g
• salt — 7 g
• ground cardamom — 1 g

Time & effort: about 26 hr 7 min (1 hr 7 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 42.5 kcal, 1.7 g protein, 2.4 g fat, 4.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

1. Cover the fenugreek seeds with the cold water and leave them 24 to 48 hours, changing the water three or four times a day. They will swell to more than twice their size and develop a slippery gel. This long soak is not optional - it is what carries off the bitterness, and undersoaked fenugreek makes hilbet inedible.
2. Drain the fenugreek and rinse it under running water until the water no longer runs cloudy, working the seeds between your fingers.
3. Meanwhile, cook the split fava beans in the litre of water at a low simmer for 45 minutes, skimming the foam, until they are completely soft and falling apart. Drain, keeping 125 ml of the cooking water.
4. Put the drained fenugreek, the cooked favas, onion, garlic, ginger and chilli into a blender or a heavy mortar and work them to a smooth, pale paste, adding the reserved bean water a spoonful at a time. A mortar gives a better texture; a blender is faster.
5. Beat in the oil, lemon juice, salt and cardamom until the paste is glossy and holds soft peaks, like a thick hummus.
6. Chill at least 1 hour. Hilbet is served cool, spread on a plate with a hollow pressed into the centre, and eaten with torn kicha or injera. It belongs to the fasting table, where it stands in for meat.
7. Substitutions: 1 tsp berbere can stand in for the green chilli.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Salmon Croquettes with Onion and Saltine — Soul Food
• Chana Masala with Basmati Rice — Indian
• Chana Masala — Indian
• Bissara (Fava Bean Soup) — Moroccan
• Crispy Spiced Okra Curry — Indian

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.