Ful Medames

Ful Medames (Egyptian Stewed Fava Beans)

Egypt's iconic dawn breakfast: dried fava beans slowly simmered until creamy, then dressed with olive oil, lemon, garlic and cumin and scooped up with bread. Traditionally served from street carts at sunrise.

Prep

15 min

Cook

720 min

Total

735 min

Serves

4-6

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) dried fava beans (split, peeled), split, peeled favas are traditional; canned cooked fava beans can be used but the overnight simmer is the authentic method
• •1.5 L (6 cups) water, plus more as needed for simmering
• •1 tsp baking soda, helps soften the skins; omit if using canned beans
• •60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling to serve
• •4 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed to a paste
• •1 tsp ground cumin, toasted and freshly ground if possible
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lemon juice, from about 1 lemon; plus wedges to serve
• •1.5 tsp fine sea salt, adjust to taste
• •1 piece pita or baladi bread, for scooping
• •2 whole eggs, optional, for topping
• •15 g (¼ cup) fresh parsley, chopped, optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the dried fava beans under cold water. Place in a large bowl, cover with plenty of water and soak overnight (8-12 hours). Drain well.
2. 2 Transfer the soaked beans to a heavy pot. Add the 1.5 L of fresh water and the baking soda. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, for 10-12 hours (or overnight in a slow cooker on low) until the beans are completely soft and falling apart. The traditional method is an overnight simmer on a very low flame. Top up with hot water as needed to keep the beans just covered.
3. 3 Doneness cue: a bean should crush easily between your fingers with no chalky center. The cooking liquid should be thick and starchy, not watery.
4. 4 While the beans cook, prepare the dressing: in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, grated garlic, cumin, lemon juice and salt. Set aside for at least 15 minutes so the flavors meld.
5. 5 If using the optional eggs: bring a small pot of water to a boil, lower the eggs in gently and simmer for 6-7 minutes for jammy yolks. Cool, peel and halve.
6. 6 When the beans are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Using a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash about a third of the beans, leaving the rest whole for texture. Stir in enough of the dressing to coat generously; reserve the rest.
7. 7 Spoon the ful into shallow bowls, making a well in the center. Pour a little more dressing into each well and drizzle with extra olive oil. Top with halved eggs and parsley if using. Serve hot with warm pita or baladi bread and lemon wedges for squeezing.
8. 8 Safety note: if using canned fava beans, heat them to a full rolling boil for at least 10 minutes before serving to ensure food safety. Eggs should reach an internal temperature of 70°C / 160°F if fully cooked, or serve soft-boiled as above.