Ful medames
Local name : فول مدمس
Slow-simmered fava beans crushed with cumin, lemon and garlic under a pool of olive oil: Egypt's national breakfast.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Method
- Drain the beans, cover generously with cold water and bring to the boil. Skim, then simmer gently for 80 to 90 minutes, until they crush between two fingers.
- Pound the garlic with the salt to a smooth paste, in a mortar or under the flat of a knife.
- Drain the beans, keeping a ladleful of their cooking water, and return them to the pan off the heat.
- Add the salted garlic, cumin and lemon juice, then crush roughly with a masher: leave at least half the beans whole so the texture stays rustic.
- Loosen with a little cooking water to a soft, spoonable consistency, and adjust the salt and lemon.
- Tip into a shallow bowl, make a well in the centre and fill it with olive oil.
- Cover with tomato, red onion and parsley, dust with cumin and chilli, and serve piping hot.
Ful is eaten at first light in Egypt, often from a copper pot left overnight on embers. Long, gentle cooking is essential: whole fava beans do not forgive impatience.
