I first saw the words Ful medammes on a menu at my favourite Lebanese restaurant. We ordered it not knowing what to expect, other than beans.
It was very simple, but had the taste of the middle east. It was nice and lemony and garlicky and felt comforting as we dipped fresh pita bread in it.
Apparently this kind of dish is eaten in different parts of the middle east, particularly in Egypt. There it is considered a breakfast food. I don't see why not.
Fava beans are so meaty and luscious that it makes me wonder why I haven't been cooking and eating them on a regular basis.
There are different variations depending on the area, the people and personal taste.
For this I'm making my version, based on what I remember from the restaurant.
I used dried fava beans which take a bit of time to cook. They were soaked for two days. I just didn't have time to cook them until two days later. Overnight would be enough to reduce the cooking time.
These beans plump up so big it amazes me. What a wonderful gift of food. It doubles with the addition of water. This would be a great long term storable food item, packed with goodness.
This was my first time cooking dried fava beans. I wasn't sure how long it would take. I boiled them then simmered for over two hours on low.
When they were soft, I drained them and prepared the rest of the items to cook with.
Ful Medammes
Dried fava beans 450g
Onion 200g
Garlic 30g
Hot pepper optional to your liking
Green pepper 40g
Parsley 50g
Tomato 400g
Juice of 1 or more lemons to your liking
Paprika 1 teaspoon
Black pepper 1 teaspoon
Cumin ground 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Vegetable broth 750 ml (less or more)
The amounts are what I put in are random, then weighed, but you could adjust it by adding more or less. You could add other vegetables. This is my basic memory of it. I haven't had it for many years.
This is very simple to make once the beans are cooked. There are no crazy ingredients, but somehow it turns out to be very tasty and comforting, if one likes foods from these parts of the world.
The use of hot peppers in this is all up to the person. Me, of course, I added a small amount. I didn't want to overpower this with heat from spice for this dish.
The lemon juice for me, is what takes it to where I want. I love the tang in this dish and many dishes from the middle east, and Mediterranean.
I start with the onions in a hot pan with oil. When they were cooked I added the garlic, spices and tomatoes and peppers.
I added some of the vegetable broth and cooked on simmer for around fifteen minutes.
I added the beans that were cooked. Some people remove the thin skin that is on the beans. They become loose after they cook. There was no way I was going to do that. I did, grab a few that came off on their own. Some people leave them on, and I am one of them. It was not necessary to remove them, in my opinion.
It's up to the individual, if they wish to keep these beans whole, mash them a little, or blend them to a puree. I chose to mash them a little so they could blend with the tomatoes and be scooped up with pita bread.
At the beginning, I wasn't sure how much broth I would add. I felt that after mashing, they were too dry.
I added the entire amount of the broth. I was worried that it would turn to a watery soup, so I slow cooked it for an hour more. It was perfect for me.
Now for the garnish. I was definitely choosing cucumber. I happened to grab an organic locally grown cucumber at the small summer market. I haven't seen a cucumber this long before, that I recall. I also don't often see an English cucumber that is not wrapped in plastic.
Since these cucumbers were fully grown, I took out the seeds in the middle, which is something I wouldn't do to the average cucumber.
At the same market were nice cherry tomatoes so I added them as well, along with some fresh parsley, pomegranate seeds, and radish.
To add to the middle eastern theme, I drizzled some tahini sauce over top.
Tahini sauce
1 cup sesame paste (tahini)
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Water to make smooth
I put all of this in the blender adding water bit by bit until it becomes creamy. After this I add salt according to my taste.
This dish can be served at any preferred temperature. It can be considered a warm salad or a stew. It can be a kind of a dip for pita bread. It can also have a pool of olive oil on top. I chose to omit it this time. I don't have much olive oil left in my bottle.
I happen to like foods from all over. I can switch my taste to appreciate different foods with many flavor combinations, or even very few ingredients combined.
This dish is something that is in between for me and would be one of those things that I would never get tired of.
As I finish this post I have another batch of beans soaking.
Thanks for dropping by and have a great day.
Photos taken with a Nikon D7500 and are of my ownership