Foul Medames
The Egyptian Sehri, eaten before dawn across the Levant and North Africa: stewed fava beans crushed with olive oil, lemon, garlic and cumin.
Why it works for Sehri
- Fava beans are high in both protein and fibre, a combination that empties from the stomach slowly and is one of the reasons this dish has been a pre-dawn staple for centuries.
- Olive oil adds fat that extends it further, and the lemon and cumin make a plain bean dish worth getting up for.
- Using tinned beans it is ready in ten minutes and needs almost no attention.
Ingredients
- 2 x 400 g tinned fava beansfoul medames, drained but keep 4 tbsp of the liquid
- 3 tbsp olive oilplus more to finish
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 lemonjuiced, about 3 tbsp
- 1/2 tsp saltadjust at the end
- 1 small tomatodiced
- 3 tbsp fresh parsleychopped
- 1/2 small onionfinely chopped, optional
- 1/4 tsp chilli flakesoptional
Method
- 1Prepare the aromatics3 min
Crush 2 garlic cloves, chop the parsley, dice the tomato and finely chop the onion if using.
- 2Warm the beans3 min
Put the drained beans and the reserved 4 tbsp liquid into a pan over medium heat. Warm through for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 3Season and crush3 min
Add the garlic, 1 tsp cumin and 1/2 tsp salt. Crush about half the beans against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon, leaving the rest whole for texture. Cook 2 more minutes.
- 4Finish off the heat2 min
Take the pan off the heat and stir in 3 tbsp olive oil and the lemon juice. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon now, not before.
- 5Serve2 min
Spoon into bowls, top with the tomato, parsley, onion and chilli flakes, and add a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve with warm flatbread.
Notes that make the difference
- Do not add the lemon while the pan is on the heat — cooked lemon juice turns flat and slightly bitter.
- Leave some beans whole. Fully mashed foul is a paste and much less pleasant to eat.
Storing and reheating
Keeps in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water and add fresh lemon and oil each time.
Substitutions
- No fava beans: tinned chickpeas work, though the texture is firmer.
- Add a boiled egg on top for more protein.
Cooking times assume a standard domestic hob and oven and will vary with your equipment. No nutritional figures are given: calculating them reliably needs the exact brand and weight of every ingredient, and an invented number would be worse than none. If you are managing a health condition, follow your doctor’s dietary advice.