Large White Beans (Fasolia Areeda)

Fasolia areeda are large, flat white beans, a familiar dried legume in Lebanese kitchens. They are usually soaked overnight, then boiled until tender before cooking. A common way to use them is in fasolia stew, simmered with tomato, garlic and sometimes meat, and served alongside rice. They also work well in fasolia bi zeit, cooked in olive oil with tomato and onion, as well as in soups, salads and oven dishes. At Dekenet Al Nes in Baaqline, in the Chouf, fasolia areeda are sold by the kilo. As a package-free grocery store, Dekenet Al Nes encourages customers to bring their own containers and refill only what they need, which helps cut plastic waste and single-use packaging while keeping basic goods within reach for families and individuals.