We received this inquiry:
I just received some “Nabah” seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds or RareSeeds.com and I am looking forward to planting them in my garden. The only problem is, once they start growing, how do I cook them? I have done an internet search which led me to some interesting Indian and Egyptian cuisine websites but no specific recipes for Nabah. I understand that these need to be soaked to leach out the bitterness, but what do I do after that? Would anyone in your community have any recipes?
According to http://www.rareseeds.com/nabah-from-cairo/ nabah is a variety of lupines.
Francesca Del Vecchio, RD answers:
Being from an Italian family we eat lupines often. You actually eat the seed not the flower, but you can grow them if you want. This link is to exactly what we do to prepare:
http://www.greenprophet.com/2013/04/lupines-traditional-middle-eastern-snack-food-recipe/
Here is another I found: http://www.christinascucina.com/2012/12/lupini-beans-and-olives-italian.html
In order to make lupini beans edible, they have to be soaked in a brine solution to draw out the alkaloids. Typically, the beans are washed first and then soaked in a brine which is changed until the brine no longer tastes bitter. It can take as much as five days with twice daily changes of the brine. When properly soaked, these beans have a great flavor, and are high in protein, making them a good choice for vegans and vegetarians.
Remember the beans have a thick, tough skin. The skin makes the beans fun to eat because you pop the bean out by squeezing the skin. Hope this helps!
For other bean recipes, see:
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2013issue1/2013_issue1_quick_and_easy_beans.php
http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2001jan/2001janbean.htm
https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2011issue3/2011_issue3_Fava.php