Foul medames (fava bean stew)

A hearty Middle Eastern breakfast staple, this version of foul medames from chef Tom Sarafian combines fava beans, chickpeas, cumin and soft boiled eggs for a nourishing start to the day. Serve with a bright, citrusy taratoor and fresh salad to make it a meal.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 x 400 g cans fava beans, drained
• 400 g can chickpeas, drained
• A pinch cumin, plus extra to serve
• Salt and black pepper
• ½ tsp Aleppo pepper
• 4 soft boiled eggs, lemon wedges, chilli flakes, extra virgin olive oil, to serve

For the taratoor

• 150 g tahini
• 50 ml orange juice
• 50 ml lemon juice
• Salt

For the salad

• ½ bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 250 g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 long green chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
• 5 pickled Iranian cucumbers, roughly chopped
• ½ small bunch coriander, roughly chopped
• ½ small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt flakes

Instructions

1. Combine the chickpeas and fava beans in a large saucepan, then cover with water. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a light simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, until the beans are easily crushed with a spoon.
2. Season the beans with cumin, salt, pepper and Aleppo pepper. Crush half the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon, then remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
3. To make the taratoor, in a small bowl, combine the ingredients with a whisk, season to taste. Add a splash of water until the texture resembles thickened cream.
4. To make the salad, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste.
5. To serve, reheat the foul until hot, then divide between serving bowls. Top with salad, a little taratoor, and finish with hard boiled eggs on top. Serve with lemon wedges, extra cumin, chilli flakes and extra virgin olive oil on the side for drizzling.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up? Stream all the seasons here and for free at SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.