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Fava beans...where have you been all my life? I'm so happy to have finally discovered this humble legume, which has nourished people throughout centuries.
One of the BEST ways to enjoy fava beans is in the dish Foul Medames, or foul for short.
So, here's a little bit of info on this dish, which originated in Egypt.
What is Foul Medames?
Foul medames is a humble dish which originated in Egypt. It's actually considered Egypt's National Dish, and some writers have said they think that this dish dates back to Ancient Egypt to the fourth century.
I have read that "medames" means "buried" in Egyptian. Centuries ago, the beans were buried over hot coals to cook slowly.
The dish is basically stewed fava beans, typically eaten for breakfast in Egypt. There are many variations as to how it's prepared and the accompaniments that are served with it.
Fava beans are also known as faba beans and broad beans. And, foul medames is also known by numerous names and spellings such as: ful mudammas, foul mudammas, and of course ful medames.
This dish is now enjoyed extensively throughout the Middle East, and even Africa!
Why You Will Love This Foul Recipe
Let me tell you why you will love this famous Middle Eastern dish, and this recipe!
- This fava bean recipe is delicious! The fava beans have a meaty and earthy taste, and is supremely yummy when seasoned with cumin, salt, pepper, and lemon juice
- Using canned beans makes preparation so incredibly easy!
- Foul is a great source of protein and fiber, and high in nutrients. You can feel so good about having this as part of your breakfast table!
So now let me tell you what ingredients you will need to make this dish of creamy fava beans, which is famous throughout the arab world!
🥘 Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this foul medames recipe:
- Can of fava beans; be sure to select a can of fava beans that is plain and not already flavored with cumin, etc. I used Cortas Fava Beans which are cooked beans and ready to eat
- Fresh garlic, crushed; I use a LOT of garlic in this recipe. Feel free to adjust to your tastes
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Lemon juice
- Ground Cumin
- Extra virgin olive oil; I recommend using a quality extra virgin olive oil
- Parsley, minced for use as a garnish
- Hard-boiled eggs, halved and used as a garnish
- Aleppo pepper, an optional garnish I like to add for a little extra spice; please note these peppers are only moderately hot, and the Aleppo pepper flakes add a beautiful vibrant red color to this dish
Canned fava beans are such an easy and convenient way of making foul.
However if you prefer to use dry fava beans, then consider using Bob's Red Mill Fava Beans. Prepare them per the package instructions and then use them in this delicious recipe. You could use a pressure cooker to cook these faster.
You should be able to get most if not all of these ingredients from your local grocery store. If you can't find canned fava beans there, then you may consider purchasing them from Amazon.
🔪 Instructions
You won't believe how easy it is to make this classic Middle Eastern dish!
Begin by rinsing the canned beans and then place in a saucepan along with ¼ cup of water. Place this on a medium heat on your stove. Mash the beans with a potato masher. If you like a bit of texture you can leave some whole, and mash the rest.
Now add crushed garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and the juice of ½ of a lemon. Mix well. Continue to heat until nicely warmed through, around 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Place the mixture in a serving dish. Garnish with minced parsley, halved hard boiled eggs, and a bit of Aleppo pepper if desired. Now have fun pouring loads of the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil over your foul!
Suggestions For Serving
Serve with extra wedges of lemon, so that each person can add additional lemon juice if they like. Enjoy with warm pita bread, and your choice of fresh veggies if desired!
FAQ
It's not necessary to peel canned fava beans, but you can if you would like to. The ones I used were not peeled and they have a little bit of texture and more of a bite. There are also cans of peeled fava beans that you can purchase, such as Cortas Peeled Fava Beans.
Foul medames has many health benefits because of the fava beans. It is a great source of protein and fiber, and high in nutrients. WebMD has a great article called "Health Benefits of Fava Beans" that you can refer to for more information.
Canned fava beans are typically ready to eat. I do recommend buying plain fava beans and rinsing them with water to remove some of the sodium in the can. Then use in this foul recipe!
1,000 Foods to Eat Project
In conclusion, Singapore Mei Fun is listed in the book 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, by Mimi Sheraton. I am working my way through the foods listed in this book. This is called my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project. Foul Medames is food #66 in my project!
Above all, please check out my 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page for some awesome food inspo!
Some Other Recipes You May Enjoy!
Here are some other recipes you may enjoy:
- Easy Middle Eastern Chicken With Lemon and Olives Recipe
- Incredible Middle Eastern Pizza - Lahmajoun
- Spicy Koshari
Join Me On A Fun Food Journey!
If you'd like to come along on this food journey with me, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It's an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here.
Cheers!
Grace
Easy Foul Recipe Using Canned Fava Beans
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 can fava beans ready to eat
- ¼ cup water
- 6 cloves garlic crushed (can adjust the amount of garlic to suit your tastes)
- ¼ ts salt plus additional to taste
- ¼ ts pepper plus additional to taste
- 1 lemon ½ of the lemon should be juiced, the other ½ cut into wedges
- ¼ ts cumin
- 1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil I recommend adding as much olive oil as you like actually!
Garnishes
- ½ tablespoon parsley minced
- Aleppo pepper optional garnish, to taste
- 1 egg hard boiled and cut in half
Instructions
- Rinse the canned beans and then place in a saucepan along with ¼ cup of water. Place this on a medium heat on your stove. Mash the beans with a potato masher. If you like a bit of texture you can leave some whole, and mash the rest.
- Now add crushed garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and the juice of ½ of a lemon. Mix well. Continue to heat until nicely warmed through, around 3-4 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- Place the mixture in a serving dish. Garnish with minced parsley, halved hard boiled eggs, and a bit of Aleppo pepper if desired. Now have fun pouring loads of the best Extra Virgin Olive Oil over your foul!
- Serve with extra wedges of lemon, so that each person can add additional lemon juice if they like. Enjoy with pita bread, and your choice of veggies if desired!
