Ful (Sudanese Fava Beans with Sesame Oil and White Cheese)
Local name: فول
In short: Warm mashed fava beans with garlic, lemon and cumin, topped with sesame oil, crumbled white cheese, tomato and chili. A Sudanese breakfast for sharing. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 400 kcal
Ful is breakfast for much of Sudan, eaten in cafés and at home from a shared shallow dish. Cooked fava beans are warmed with garlic and cumin, lightly mashed and loosened with lemon juice. Then comes the Sudanese finish: sesame oil poured over the top and a generous crumble of salty white cheese, plus chopped tomato, onion and fresh chili. Everyone tears flatbread and scoops straight from the dish.
Instructions
- Pour the fava beans and their liquid into a pan, add the garlic and cumin and warm over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until hot and slightly reduced.
- Mash about half of the beans with the back of a spoon, leaving the rest whole for texture. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt to taste.
- Spoon the beans into a shallow dish, making a slight well in the center.
- Pour the sesame oil over the beans and scatter with the cheese, tomatoes, onion, chili and parsley.
- Serve hot, with flatbread for scooping.
Tips
- Use untoasted sesame oil if you can find it, since it has a mellow, nutty flavor. Toasted sesame oil is much stronger, so use about half as much.
- To start from dried beans, soak 200 g (1 cup) of dried fava beans overnight and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until very soft.
Questions and answers
Can I make ful vegan?
Yes. Leave out the cheese and add a tablespoon of tahini or a handful of chopped olives for richness.
What makes Sudanese ful different?
It is usually finished with sesame oil and salty white cheese, with chili and raw onion on top, and eaten with flatbread or gurasa.
Can I make ful ahead of time?
Yes. The beans keep for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat them and add the toppings fresh just before serving.
How long does it take to make Ful (Sudanese Fava Beans with Sesame Oil and White Cheese)?
About 30 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Ful (Sudanese Fava Beans with Sesame Oil and White Cheese)?
About 400 kcal per serving, with 20 g of protein, 43 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 400 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 13 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Sodium | 1000 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
