Ful Medames (Egyptian Fava Beans)

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🫘 250g fava beans (dry)
• 🥤 1,500ml tap water
• 🧄 3 cloves garlic
• 🌿 1.5 Tsp cumin powder
• 🍋 3 Tbsp lemon juice
• 🏺 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 🧂 1 Tsp salt
• 🍅 2 medium tomato
• 🌿 10g fresh mint
• 🌿 10g parsley
• 🌿 0.25 Tsp chilli flakes
• 🫓 4 6 inch pita bread

Method

1. Shortcut: use 2 cans (about 800 g) of ready-cooked ful medames or fava beans from a Middle Eastern shop – skip steps 1–2, warm them with their liquid and go straight to step 3. The dish is then ready in 15 minutes.
2. Soak the dried fava beans in plenty of cold water (not from the list) overnight, at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse.
3. Put the beans in a pot with the 1.5 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 1½–2 hours until very soft and creamy when squeezed. Top up with hot water if needed so they stay covered. Drain, keeping about 150 ml of the cooking liquid.
4. Crush the garlic with ½ tsp of the salt into a paste.
5. Put the warm beans in a pan with the garlic paste, cumin and a splash of the reserved liquid. Warm over low heat for 2–3 minutes, roughly mashing about half the beans with a fork or potato masher so it's part creamy, part whole. Add more liquid if it looks dry.
6. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the rest of the salt. Taste and adjust.
7. Dice the tomatoes and chop the mint and parsley.
8. Spoon the ful into a shallow dish, top with the tomato and herbs, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with chilli flakes and a pinch more cumin.
9. Serve warm with the pitta (warmed in a dry pan), plus lemon wedges, sliced onion or pickles on the side.