Egyptian

Ful Medames

Egyptian fava beans with cumin and lemon

Slow-warmed Egyptian fava beans mashed with cumin, garlic, lemon and olive oil and topped with tomato.

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Prep10 minsCook20 minsServes4DifficultyEasy
Ful Medames served in a rustic Mediterranean setting

Bright, satisfying and built for real life.

This recipe brings together the generous flavours of Egyptian cooking in a format that works on a busy day. Read through the method before starting and adjust seasoning to your taste.

The recipe

Ful Medames

10 min prep20 min cook30 min total4 servings
Scale:

Ingredients

Main

Method

  1. 1

    Warm the fava beans with their liquid and garlic over low heat.

  2. 2

    Mash some of the beans, leaving plenty whole, and stir in cumin and salt.

  3. 3

    Add lemon juice and enough bean liquid to make the mixture spoonable.

  4. 4

    Serve with olive oil, diced tomato and parsley.

Ful medames is a foundational Egyptian breakfast of slowly cooked fava beans seasoned at the table with cumin, lemon and olive oil.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container for up to 3 days.

Freezing

Freeze only when the finished texture remains suitable; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently until piping hot throughout, unless traditionally served at room temperature.

Keep cooking

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