A broad bean is the species vicia faba, and is another name for fava bean, horse bean, haba, and fève. It looks like a very large lima bean. You can find it dried or in cans. Occasionally you can find fresh fava beans, but unless they are very young, the pods containing the beans are inedible. The skin of the beans is tough and should be removed before cooking.

(continued from home page) The use of the name haba refers only to dried beans that have had their skins removed. It is particularly popular in the Middle East and elsewhere around the Mediterranean.