Ful Medames
Posted On July 17, 2019
This is the national dish of Egypt. Ful Medames, is a fava bean stew authentically cooked over coals and eaten all over the Middle East. It’s most popular for breakfast because it’s so filling and gives the workers “staying” power to work all morning. In cities from Riyadh to Jerusalem, it’s often served with hard-boiled eggs. This hearty vegetarian dish is high in protein and relatively low in fat.
Ful Medames
Ingredients
- 2 cans fava beans, drained and rinsed Pinto or dry lima beans can be substituted
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Cloves garlic, raw, minced can substitute roasted garlic
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1⁄4 tsp. cayenne
- Water
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Chopped fresh parsley
- 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced in wedges
Instructions
- Put the fava beans in a pot, covering the beans with 1 inch of water . Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-8 min until softened. Drain the beans then put in a bowl with the cumin, crushed garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Mix all together, mashing some of the beans as you go so it forms a kind of spread/dip. Serve topped with a little more oil, some parsley, red onion or add some tomato or hard boiled egg, as you prefer. Use as a dip or spread on bread. Transfer to a serving platter, and surround with egg wedges; drizzle with more oil, and sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Notes
If you use roasted garlic, the garlic flavor is mellowed out and not as pungent. Another alternative is to lightly saute the garlic in a little olive oil before adding in the beans and water.
Optional Toppings
- Diced ripe red tomato
- Raw onion sliced into rings
- Fresh minced cilantro
- Red chili pepper flakes
- Paprika
- Tahini sauce