Ful Medames (Egyptian Stewed Fava Beans)
Local name: فول مدمس
In short: Slow-cooked fava beans mashed with garlic, lemon, cumin and oil, topped with tomato and parsley. The classic Egyptian breakfast, scooped up with warm bread. It takes about 2 h 15 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 2 h
- Resting
- 10 h
- Total
- 2 h 15 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 555 kcal
Ful medames is breakfast in much of Egypt: a pot of fava beans cooked slowly until creamy, then dressed with garlic, lemon, cumin and good oil. People scoop it up with warm flatbread, often with tomato, onion and parsley on top. The long simmer does all the work, and the beans taste even better the next day.
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Put them in a heavy pot with the lentils and enough fresh water to cover by 5 cm (2 in).
- Bring to a boil and skim off the foam. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, topping up with hot water if the level drops below the beans. The beans are ready when they mash easily between two fingers.
- Stir in 1 tsp salt for the last 15 minutes. Use a fork to mash about a third of the beans against the side of the pot, leaving the rest whole.
- Simmer for 5 more minutes, until the liquid turns thick and creamy. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir the garlic, lemon juice, 3 tbsp oil and cumin together with a ladle of the hot bean liquid. Fold the mixture into the pot and taste for salt and lemon.
- Spoon the beans and some of their liquid into shallow bowls. Top with tomato, onion, parsley and chili, then drizzle with a little more oil.
- Serve right away with warm flatbread for scooping.
Tips
- A pressure cooker cuts the cooking to about 30 minutes for soaked beans. Let the pressure drop naturally so the beans keep their shape and do not burst.
- Dried beans that stay hard are usually old. Buy from a shop with fast turnover, and do not skip the overnight soak.
Questions and answers
What is ful medames?
A stew of slow-cooked fava beans, lightly mashed and dressed with garlic, lemon, cumin and oil. In Egypt it is a breakfast staple eaten with bread, and it is also sold from street carts.
Can I use canned fava beans?
Yes. Drain 2 cans (about 800 g / 28 oz), warm them with a splash of water for 10 minutes, mash lightly and add the dressing. The texture is less creamy than slow-cooked beans, but it takes under 15 minutes.
How long does ful medames keep?
Up to 4 days in a sealed container in the fridge. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with a splash of hot water when you reheat it.
How long does it take to make Ful Medames (Egyptian Stewed Fava Beans)?
About 2 h 15 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 2 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Ful Medames (Egyptian Stewed Fava Beans)?
About 555 kcal per serving, with 28 g of protein, 86 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 555 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbohydrates | 86 g |
| Fat | 12 g |
| Fiber | 18 g |
| Sugar | 6 g |
| Sodium | 640 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
