Ful medames: building a breakfast around cooked fava beans

COOK IT AT HOME

Tomato and Cumin Ful Breakfast Bowls

This ful medames begins with fully cooked canned fava beans and uses tomato, onion and cumin to make a warm breakfast bowl. Part of the beans is mashed to thicken the cooking liquid while the rest remains whole. The toppings are added at the table, so the tomatoes and parsley stay fresh. It is a practical home version, distinct from recipes that simmer dried beans overnight.

Makes

4 breakfast servings

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

20 minutes

Additional time

None

A home-kitchen recipe to accompany this guide. Ingredient brands and equipment can change cooking times; use the texture and doneness cues below.

Ingredients

• 2 cans cooked fava beans, 400 g each, drained and rinsed
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 200 ml water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 4 small pita breads, warmed

Step-by-step method

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic and cumin and stir for 30 seconds without letting the garlic brown.
2. Add half the diced tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the drained fava beans and 200 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover loosely and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice.
3. Mash about one-third of the beans against the side of the pan with a spoon. Stir the mashed portion into the liquid to make a thick, spoonable base. Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper and warm for another minute.
4. Divide between four bowls. Top with the remaining tomato, parsley and the remaining tablespoon olive oil. Serve the cucumber and warm pita alongside so each person can build bites without cooling the entire pan of beans.

Helpful tips & substitutions

• This recipe requires cooked fava beans. Dried fava beans need a separate soaking and cooking process and cannot simply replace the cans in a 20-minute recipe.
• People with G6PD deficiency may need to avoid fava beans; use a suitable alternative recommended for their needs rather than assuming cooking removes that concern.

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate the bean base in a shallow covered container within 2 hours and use within 3 days. Reheat with 1–2 tablespoons water until steaming hot throughout. Keep fresh toppings separate and prepare them close to serving. Keep refrigerated foods at 40°F/4°C or below.

How to serve it

Add radishes, olives or a spoonful of plain yogurt at the table. The warm beans, bread and crunchy vegetables make a complete breakfast without needing a large assortment of extras.