Ful Medames

Method

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1. Tip the beans and their liquid into a pan and warm through over medium heat for 8 minutes.

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2. Add the garlic, cumin and salt and simmer 4 minutes more.

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3. Crush about half the beans against the side of the pan with a fork or a potato masher. Stop while plenty are still whole.

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4. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil.

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5. Taste. It will want more salt and more lemon than you expect.

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6. Spoon into bowls, make a well in each and pour the remaining oil in.

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7. Top with tomato, onion, parsley, chilli flakes and the eggs, and serve with flatbread and lemon wedges.

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Chef’s Tips

• Half-crushed, not mashed. This is the only decision that matters here.
• Keep the tin liquid — it is starchy and it is what makes the dish creamy rather than dry.
• The oil at the end should feel like too much. It is not.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Flatbread, torn, as the only utensil
• Sweet mint tea
• Pickled turnips

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. It thickens considerably; loosen with hot water when reheating and re-season with fresh lemon, which fades.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.