East Africa · Street food
Tamia (Deep-Fried Spiced Fava Bean Fritters)
Crisp golden fava bean fritters laced with fresh dill, crushed coriander, and garlic, served blistering hot from market vats.
The story
Across urban trading hubs like Juba, Malakal, and Wau, Tamia is the quintessential South Sudanese street snack purchased piping hot in brown paper bags from market stalls. While related to Levantine falafel and Egyptian ta'ameya, South Sudanese tamia relies entirely on skinless split fava beans (ful masri) rather than chickpeas, resulting in an exceptionally creamy interior crumb. Historically, vendors aerate the paste vigorously with their hands right before frying, creating micro air pockets that prevent the dense bean starch from absorbing excess oil.
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