What is foul mudammas?
Foul mudammas is basically stewed fava beans (or broad beans), typically seasoned with a little ground cumin and finished with good extra virgin olive oil. Egyptians serve with warm pita bread and jazz it up with lemon juice, fresh veggies and herbs.
There are many ways to dress up this creamy, hearty fava bean porridge or dip. I like my foul mudammas with a spicy kick, so I make a special lemon and garlic sauce with hot chili peppers (although the lemon tames the peppers quite a bit, so it’s really not that spicy but adds a great kick!)
Before we get to this foul mudammas or fava bean recipe, let’s cover a couple of basics…
What are fava beans? And where to find them?
Fava beans may not be as familiar to you as black beans or kidney beans, for example. But they are an ancient legume and have been a part of the Middle Eastern kitchen and the Mediterranean diet since the 4th century!
Like many beans and legumes, fava beans are an excellent source of fiber and provide protein and iron.
And as far as texture and flavor, favas are one of the tastiest, meaty bean varieties around–creamy, buttery texture and a lovely, nutty flavor.
Fresh fava beans, also known as broad beans, come in bright bean pods and can be used in many beautiful spring salads and dishes. Sadly, fresh fava beans have a super short season, so you are more likely to find them dry or canned.
To make this foul mudammas recipe, I take a short cut by using canned fava beans. You can find them near other canned beans or the international section at your local grocery store. Otherwise, find canned fava beans via Amazon (affiliate): California Garden Fava Beans and Cortas Fava Beans.
You can also make foul mudammas from scratch, starting with dry fava beans, that’s how my parents used to make it.
Some grocery stores have dry fava beans in the bulk section near things like chickpeas. A couple of options available online: Hunza Fava Beans or Bob’s Redmill Fava Beans, which are a bit larger but can be used in the same way (affiliate links).
Ingredients for this recipe
There are four simple components to this foul mudammas recipe:
1. Fava beans (canned or dry?)
For this recipe, you’ll need to use canned or already cooked fava beans. I am using canned fava beans here for a short cut (2 cans of fava beans or 3 cups).
But, if you want to make foul from scratch, you can start with 1 cup dry fava beans. You’ll need to soak the beans overnight. Drain fully, then cook in plenty of water for about 1 hour or so until tender (see recipe notes.)
2. Seasoning & lemon garlic sauce with chili peppers
The flavor makers in this recipe are decidedly Mediterranean. We start with a pinch of fragrant ground cumin, which adds great depth and aids with digestion.
But the bold flavors in this simple fava bean stew come from a spicy sauce made with crushed garlic, chili peppers and fresh lemon juice.
Don’t worry, this foul mudammas recipe is not necessarily spicy. The lemon juice tames the spicy peppers pretty well, so the sauce actually adds enough of a kick without being overwhelming.
3. Extra virgin olive oil
May seem like a small component of this recipe, but you’ll need a generous drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil. The EVOO will add flavor and provide that velvety finish to the stewed fava beans. I used Early Harvest Greek extra virgin olive oil
4. Fresh toppings
I love adding a good bunch of fresh parsley and some diced tomatoes on top. Some people like adding chopped onions, but I prefer to serve green onions on the side.
