Eat Healthy and Cheap
Ful Medames
Ful medames is the dish that starts the day across Egypt and much of the Levant: dried fava beans simmered until soft, then finished right in the pot with garlic, cumin, and lemon. The traditional version gets a heavy pour of olive oil at the table; here a tahini drizzle thinned with lemon and bean liquid does that same job, adding richness without adding a base fat. The other trick is texture: mash only part of the beans and leave the rest whole, so the dish stays a stew, not a puree. Serve it warm, straight from the pot, with the raw tomato and onion piled on top for crunch and contrast.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Fava beans, dried, soaked overnight
- 4 cloves Garlic, 2 smashed for the pot, 2 minced to finish
- 1 1/2 tsp Cumin seed, toasted and ground, divided
- 2 Lemons, juiced, plus wedges to serve
- 2 tbsp Tahini
- 1 Fresh tomatoe, diced
- 1/4 cup Red onions, finely diced
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 pinch Red pepper flakes, optional
Method
- Soak the dried fava beans in plenty of water overnight, or at least 8 hours. They roughly double in size; drain and rinse before cooking.
- Put the soaked beans in a pot with 5 cups (1.2 L) fresh water and the 2 smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower to a bare simmer and cook uncovered until the beans are fully soft and starting to break down, 50 to 60 minutes. Older, drier beans take longer; top up with hot water if the pot runs low.
- While the beans cook, toast the cumin seed in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute, then grind or crush it. Toasting the whole seed first pulls out oils that stay locked in when cumin is bought pre-ground.
- Once the beans are tender, fish out the softened garlic pieces and mash them into the pot. Mash about a third of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon, leaving the rest whole. That half-mashed texture, not a smooth puree, is what makes ful medames ful medames.
- Stir in most of the toasted cumin, the 2 minced raw garlic cloves, and the lemon juice. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more so the raw garlic mellows. The beans should be thick and stewy, not soupy; if they are loose, keep simmering uncovered until the liquid pulls in.
- Thin the tahini with a splash of the bean cooking liquid and a squeeze of lemon until it pours in a ribbon. This stands in for the traditional olive oil drizzle: the same richness, with no added fat beyond the sesame itself.
- Divide the beans among bowls. Top with the diced tomato, red onion, parsley, and the remaining cumin. Finish with the tahini drizzle, a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat, and lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 260 calories, 16 g protein, 12 g fiber. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt.
