Broad Bean Ful Medames

We forgot to take a photo – we’d eaten most of them for breakfast before I thought of it!  Here’s the rest.  Ful medames are a traditional breakfast all through North Africa. They are traditionally made with dried beans, and I make a version of this often in winter when I have the wood stove going, using my dried Purple King beans.  But this time of year, with broad beans in season, it is a recipe that is quick and easy enough to make for weekend breakfast, or lunch or dinner or tv snack or….

The Recipe:

• Saute a large chopped onion in olive oil over a moderate heat till translucent (don’t let it brown).
• Add lots of chopped garlic – 7 or 8 big cloves at least – and lots of cracked black pepper (a good teaspoonful) and saute for just a minute or two more.  Then add salt – again more than you would think – half a teaspoon or so – and a cup of water.
• Bring to the boil and add a cup of shelled broad beans.  Simmer this mix gently for about 10 minutes until most of the water is absorbed.
• Add the juice of a small lemon – around ¼ cup of lemon juice and simmer a minute or two longer.
• Taste and add more salt or lemon juice to taste.

At this point you have several choices, depending on how you are going to serve.

Just like this in a bowl with pita bread is breakfast in Egypt, and also good for lunch or dinner!  But it also works well if you puree the mix and spread it on toast or serve as a dip with pita chips.