FOUL MADAMMAS (MIDDLE EAST)

I've always thought that Egyptian and other Middle Eastern restaurants in English-speaking countries must have a hard time selling "Foul Mudammas," and the proper pronunciation of the first word ("Fool") isn't a whole lot better than the "Fowl" that most of us assume.

But all joking aside, this elusively flavored fava bean dish is delicious, and it's one of those vegetarian dishes that's so full-flavored it really tastes like there's meat in it.

Chop one medium onion and one or two cloves of garlic, and sautee them in 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy saucepan until they're cooked and starting to brown. Add a 20-ounce can of fava beans (preferably the small type labeled Foul Mudammas from a Middle Eastern market), with the liquid in the can. Add the juice of 1 lemon, and salt and hot-pepper sauce to taste.

Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until it's very hot and the liquid has become quite thick.

Serve with lettuce and pitas (although in the absence of pitas I did a multi-ethnic thing and substituted flour tortillas to excellent effect).

This is one of those dishes that's even better leftover, after the flavors "meld," than it is when freshly cooked. I'm looking forward to snacking on it over the weekend.