Foul Medames, Ful
Description
Growing up, foul seemed to make up most of our Sunday mornings. I could still smell the aroma of foul wafting through the air emanating from the kitchen, and the fun part starts when foul waits for us on the table with a spread of diced fresh tomatoes, chopped parsley, mint leaves, sliced onions, pickles, and warm Lebanese or pita bread that you scoop up foul with and mop it with veggies and olive oil – a feast of colors and textures and a memorable experience that celebrates the pleasures of food.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried fava beans in their skins
- 5 cups water
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- 8 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling before serving
- Cayenne optional but recommended for a more hot and zingy flavor
- Serve it with a spread of diced tomatoes mint sprigs, sliced onions, pickles and radishes
Instructions
- As you know there are different types of fava beans, the ones used to make foul relatively look like the pinto beans with a firmer texture and different flavor, preferably use mini fava beans for best results.
- Soak the beans in 6 cups of water and baking soda for 15 hours and preferably for 20 hours, long soaking softens and rehydrates the skin of fava beans.
- Wash and drain the beans under cold running water. Place in a medium sized pot and cover with 5 cups of water and cook to boil on high heat, scooping and discarding the white scum as it appears.
- Cover the pot and put over low heat for 2 to 3 hours until the beans are no more tough and the liquid has lightly thickened. If the beans are drying out, add 1/2 cup of boiling water and cook until the fava beans are tender. The consistency should be that of a thick soup.
- Remove from heat, add salt, lemon juice, cumin powder and minced garlic.
- Roughly mash the fava beans with a mortar. Transfer to a large serving bowl. Drizzle some olive oil on top.
- Pile with diced tomatoes, sliced radishes, mint leaves and pickles, and serve with pita bread.
Notes
Foul/ Ful can be cooked and refrigerated for 5 days. Warm on stovetop over low heat. Add the olive oil, vegetables and pickle right before serving.
Serve foul medames with freshly baked warm homemade pita bread, a match made in food heaven!
And here is a detailed recipe on how to make Lebanese pickles/ kabees. Foul medames and kabees are a must together.
And here is a detailed recipe on how to make Lebanese pickles/ kabees. Foul medames and kabees are a must together.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!