Egyptian Ful Medames with Toasted Sesame

About This Recipe

Ful medames is arguably Egypt's national dish, a pot of small dried fava beans simmered for hours until completely tender, then mashed lightly and dressed simply with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. It's eaten at any time of day but is most iconic as breakfast, scooped up with fresh baladi bread, and it's been a dietary staple in Egypt for so long that archaeological evidence suggests versions of it have been eaten in the Nile Valley for thousands of years. A scatter of toasted sesame seeds isn't part of every traditional bowl, but it's a common finishing touch in many households and restaurants, adding a nutty crunch that plays well against the beans' soft, creamy texture. The technique that separates good ful from mediocre ful is in the mashing — beans should be broken up just enough to create texture, not pureed smooth, so you still get whole beans in each spoonful. Served with a drizzle of good olive oil, chopped tomato and onion, a hard-boiled egg, and warm bread for scooping, ful medames is humble, filling, and endlessly customizable to whatever a household has on hand.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsdried small fava beans(soaked overnight)
• 0.5 tspbaking soda
• 1 tspsalt
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 0.25 cuplemon juice
• 0.25 cupolive oil(plus more for serving)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 3 tbspsesame seeds(toasted)
• 2tomatoes(diced, for serving)
• 0.5onion(finely diced, for serving)
• 2hard-boiled eggs(halved, for serving)
• 0.25 cupparsley(chopped)

Instructions

1. 1

   Simmer the beans

   Drain the soaked beans and add to a pot with fresh water to cover by 2 inches and baking soda. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 75 to 90 minutes until completely soft.

2. 2

   Toast the sesame

   While the beans cook, toast sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes.

3. 3

   Season the beans

   Once tender, stir in salt and let the beans sit 5 minutes. Drain, reserving some cooking liquid.

4. 4

   Mash lightly

   Mash the beans with a fork or potato masher until roughly broken up but not pureed smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed for a thick, scoopable consistency.

5. 5

   Dress and finish

   Stir in garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and cumin. Adjust seasoning to taste.

6. 6

   Serve

   Transfer to bowls, top with toasted sesame, diced tomato, onion, hard-boiled egg halves and parsley. Drizzle with extra olive oil and serve with warm bread.

Variations

• •

  Use canned fava beans for a much faster version, simmering just 15 minutes to heat through and soften further.

• •

  Add a spoonful of tahini for a creamier, richer version popular in some households.

• •

  Top with diced fresh chile for a spicier bowl.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days; the beans thicken further once cold. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of water, adjusting lemon and oil to taste after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions