Ful Mudammas
While Hannibal Lecter likes his fava beans with Chianti you might want to try it another way. Pita chips, flat bread or vegetables welcome this fava bean spread just like hummus. It’s quite a different taste than hummus and something to try. I used paprika, cilantro and lemon and that worked well. If you like a particular flavor of hummus use those ingredients and try giving this dish a try.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups (16 oz.) cooked or canned fava beans
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
2 raw or 4 roasted garlic cloves, chopped (to learn to roast garlic,
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste
Juice from 2 fresh lemons (or more to taste)
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS
Sliced hard boiled egg
Diced ripe red tomato
Raw onion sliced into rings
Fresh minced parsley or cilantro
Red chili pepper flakes
Paprika
Tahini sauce
Though I don’t normally recommend using canned beans over cooked, I have never had great results with soaking and cooking dried fava beans. They never seem to cook up as tender as canned, even after long periods of boiling. However, you do have the option to use either dried or canned beans in this recipe.
If using dried beans, soak them overnight, then cover with water and simmer till tender (this can take up to 2 hours or longer and will prolong the recipe prep time significantly). Drain and set aside, then proceed with the recipe. If using canned fava beans, pour them into a colander to drain. Rinse the beans in cold water. Set aside, then continue with the recipe.
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Fry the minced onion till they becomes translucent and golden. Add garlic and cumin, sauté for 1 minute till fragrant.
Add the fava beans, then add about ½ cup of water to the skillet. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the skillet. Let mixture simmer for about 10 minutes on medium low heat until the beans are nice and tender. Remove lid from skillet and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced by about 75 percent.
Remove skillet from heat. Pour the fava bean mixture into a mixing bowl. Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Mash the mixture to a semi-smooth consistency; it should be a little more chunky than hummus. You can use a potato masher or the back of a large metal spoon.
Serve each portion on a plate as you would hummus. Create a shallow well in the center of the ful mudammas. Drizzle olive oil and garnish with the ingredients of your choice. Serve hot.
Marty Made It 