andrejthechef
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Ful Medames

Egypt’s ancient breakfast: fava beans mashed halfway with garlic, cumin and lemon, drowned in olive oil, dressed at the table.

prep
10 min
cook
20 min
total
30 min
serves
4
level
easy
Ful Medames, a classic from Egypt.

Ful medames has been breakfast on the Nile for longer than most countries have existed: fava beans simmered soft, half-mashed with garlic, cumin and lemon, and finished with more olive oil than your instincts suggest.

The toppings are the personality: chopped tomato, onion, parsley, chili, maybe a boiled egg, each eater dressing their own bowl, scooping with warm pita.

Ful Medames is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.

method

  1. Simmer the beans with their liquid for 10 to 15 minutes until completely tender.

  2. Add the crushed garlic, cumin, most of the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the oil.

  3. Mash roughly in the pot: half creamy, half whole beans. Loosen with hot water to a thick, spoonable texture.

  4. Taste and push with lemon, salt and cumin; swirl in the tahini if using.

  5. Serve in bowls flooded with the remaining olive oil, with the toppings in dishes and warm pita for scooping.

chef's tips

  • Half-mashed is the law: ful should be creamy with proof that it was once beans.
  • The final flood of olive oil is the luxury of the dish; measure it with courage.
  • Canned fava beans are standard even in Cairo; dried and soaked is a weekend flex, not a requirement.