Ful medames
Slow-simmered fava beans mashed warm with sesame oil, cumin and lemon, topped with tomato, white cheese and green chilli.
History and culture
Fava beans have fed the Nile valley for millennia; Sudan's version, dressed with sesame oil (sleet) rather than olive, is the country's default breakfast, sold from great copper pots at dawn.
Ingredients
- 400 g cooked fava beans
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tomato, diced
- White cheese & green chilli
- Salt
How it is made
- Warm the beans and mash roughly in their liquid.
- Stir in sesame oil, cumin, lemon and salt.
- Top with tomato, crumbled cheese and chilli.
- Serve hot with bread from one shared bowl.
Variations
Ful bel-jibna (with cheese), ful bel-zeit (oil only), ful bel-tomatim (tomato-rich).
Preparation notes
Mash only half the beans for texture; the sesame oil must be Sudanese-style toasted for the true aroma.
Nutrition
High in plant protein and fibre; naturally vegan before the cheese.
Questions
Is ful vegan?
Yes, until the white cheese and butter are added — ask for bel-zeit.
What bread goes with it?
Sudanese kisra or a plain wheat roll (raghif).