Ful medames

Ful medames is among the oldest dishes of the Nile Valley, where dried broad beans were cultivated and consumed well before the Pharaonic era. Traces of dried beans have been found at Neolithic Egyptian sites, testifying to culinary use dating back millennia. The dish is also mentioned in the Jerusalem Talmud in the 4th century, evidence of its ancient diffusion throughout the eastern Mediterranean basin. Long considered the food of peasants and workers in Cairo, slowly cooked overnight in earthenware jars buried in the warm ashes of public ovens, it has over time become an Egyptian national dish, shared in modest homes and urban tables alike. Its preparation, almost ritualistic in its slowness, embodies a cuisine of patience where time replaces technique.

• 500 g whole dried fava beans (ful medames)
• 2 tablespoons red lentils (optional, for binding)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 lemon, juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Tomatoes and sliced onions, as accompaniment
• Hard-boiled eggs, as traditional accompaniment

1. Soak the dried beans in plenty of cold water overnight.
2. Drain the beans, place them in a pot with fresh water and, if desired, a few red lentils to naturally thicken the broth.
3. Bring to a gentle boil then simmer over very low heat for several hours, until the beans are perfectly tender and slightly crushed.
4. Roughly mash some of the beans with a spoon to obtain a creamy texture while keeping some beans whole.
5. Season with crushed garlic, salt, cumin and lemon juice, then mix gently.
6. Drizzle with olive oil and serve hot, garnished with parsley, accompanied by onions, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs according to tradition.

Ful medames offers a smooth and rustic texture, between purée and thick stew, carried by the earthy sweetness of long-simmered beans. The olive oil brings generous roundness, while lemon and cumin awaken the whole with a bright and warm note. It is a simple yet profound dish, where slow cooking shapes all the richness of flavor.