Ful Medames
Ful medames is one of the oldest prepared foods still in common use — fava beans cooked and eaten in Egypt and the Levant for at least four thousand years. The name derives from Arabic: medames means buried or covered, referring to the old practice of cooking sealed pots in hot embers. The dish is considered Egypt's national food, though it is eaten across Sudan, the Levant, and parts of East Africa. The seasoning sequence matters: garlic, lemon, cumin, and olive oil are added after the beans are cooked, not during. This keeps the beans from absorbing the garlic bitterness and allows each diner to adjust. The beans are partially mashed — enough to thicken but not puree — leaving texture against the dressing. Tahini, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh chili are the most common additions, varying by country and household.
Rich in vitamins
Fresh and healthy
Slow simmered
Low and slow cooking
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 400 g dried small fava beans, soaked overnight in cold water (or 800 g canned fava beans, rinsed and drained)
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 60 ml fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon), plus more to taste
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or hot paprika
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes (about 250 g), finely diced
- 1 small red onion (about 100 g), finely diced
- 20 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
How to make it
- 1If using dried beans, drain the soaked beans and cover with fresh cold water by 4-5 cm; bring to the boil and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beans are completely soft when pressed between fingers, then drain, reserving 100 ml of cooking liquid.
- 2If using canned beans, rinse, drain, and use 100 ml of water as the liquid.
- 3Return the beans to the pot over low heat and add the garlic, lemon juice, 3 tbsp of the olive oil, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne.
- 4Cook for 3-4 minutes, mashing about half the beans with a fork to create a creamy, partly chunky texture, adding reserved cooking liquid a splash at a time if too thick.
- 5Taste and adjust lemon, salt, and spice — the ful should be tangy and warmly spiced.
- 6Divide into shallow bowls and scatter the diced tomatoes, red onion, and parsley over the top.
- 7Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil over each serving and serve immediately with warm pita bread.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
