• Put the Fava/yellow split peas in a bowl, pour boiling water over and stir with a wooden spoon until the water becomes dark. Let it soak in the water for 5 minutes.
  
• Pour off and transfer to a separate bowl. Set aside until needed.
• Meanwhile, chop onions, carrots and leeks.
  
• Sauté the onion, carrots and leeks in olive oil until soft.
• Then add the water, yellow split peas, bay leaves, chicken or vegetable stock cubes, sugar and pepper and simmer for 20 minutes until the split peas are completely soft.
  
• Use a strainer and strain the beans from the liquid. Save the liquid in a bowl.
  
• Discard the bay leaf. Then add half of the Fava (split peas) with the vegetables and some of the liquid in a blender and puree the mixture until smooth. Slowly add extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice and mix again. You want it to be like a soft puree as it thickens more when it sits.
  
• If you think your dip is too watery. Puree just the second batch with little or no liquid and mix it with the first. If you like it the way it is, just do the same with the second batch as you did with the first.
  
• Then taste and add some extra salt and / or lemon juice if needed. Note that the Fava dip will thicken considerably when it cools!

Caramelized onion

• Slice the red onion and fry with a little olive oil and as soon as it starts to caramelize add 1 teaspoon of honey and stir.
• Serve the caramelized onion on top of your Greek Fava dip and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.