Ful Medames
Fava beans are cooked with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and spices like cumin to make the Middle Eastern meal known as Ful Medames. It's a tasty, wholesome dish that's frequently served with pita bread and topped with fresh veggies and herbs.
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
15 min
Serving
6
Difficulty
Easy
A typical Middle Eastern breakfast or light meal is Ful Medames, a dish prepared from slow-cooked fava beans. The beans can be topped with fresh herbs, tomatoes, and onions and are usually seasoned with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and occasionally tahini. It is a tasty and nourishing dish that is frequently eaten with pita or bread in Egypt and other Arab countries.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fava beans (dried or canned)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp tahini (optional, for creaminess)
- Fresh parsley (for garnish)
- Tomatoes, diced (optional, for garnish)
- Onions, finely chopped (optional, for garnish)
- Olives (optional, for serving)
- Pita bread or flatbread (for serving)
Directions
- If using dried fava beans to create Ful Medames, soak them overnight and cook them in a pot of water for 1 to 1.5 hours until they are soft.
- Drain and rinse the canned fava beans if using them.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the minced garlic, frying it until fragrant.
- Add the cooked beans, salt, black pepper, cumin, and optional coriander to the pan.
- Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, mashing some of the beans with a masher or fork to achieve a creamy texture.
- For added flavor, stir in the optional tahini and lemon juice.
- If preferred, top with chopped tomatoes, onions, and fresh parsley after adjusting the seasoning to taste.
- Accompany the warm Ful Medames with pita or flatbread and olives.
