Ful medames is an Egyptian delicacy of slow-cooked fava bean and chickpea stew flavoured with cumin, garlic, lemon and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil — usually enjoyed with pita bread and an assortment of fresh vegetables. Growing up in Saudi Arabia across the street from my aunt’s place meant Sundays were always family days. My aunt, her Egyptian husband and their children would come over for breakfast before the rooster’s crow and the ful medames prepared by my uncle “à la Cairo” would be the star of the show.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried fava beans, soaked overnight
- 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, ground
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 scallion, finely chopped
- 5 mint leaves, cut into chiffonade
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Instructions
Place the dried fava beans and chickpeas in a bowl with the baking soda and add enough warm water to submerge them. Let the fava beans and chickpeas soak overnight in the refrigerator.
Drain and rinse the beans. Add the beans to a pot and cover with fresh water. Cook them in water over medium heat until they are soft to the touch or can easily be squashed with a fork. You might need to top them up with water as they are cooking if the desired consistency is not reached before the initial water added is reduced.
Once the fava beans and chickpeas fully cook into a thick stew, add the ground cumin, minced garlic, salt and lemon juice.
Plate the stew and top it with the chiffonade of mint, finely chopped cucumbers and sliced (halved) cherry tomatoes.
Finally, drizzle a hefty amount of extra-virgin olive oil on top of the garnished stew and use pieces of pita bread as a scoop.
