Yemeni

Foul Mudammas

Yemeni foul mudammas is a warm, hearty pot of slow-cooked fava beans mashed with tomato, onion, garlic, green chili, and hawaij. It is finished with samn and fresh cilantro, then eaten with soft bread while still bubbling hot.

Ingredients

• Dried small fava beans1 cup
• Red lentils2 tbsp
• Water5 cups, plus more as needed
• Small onion, finely chopped1
• Ripe tomato, finely chopped1 large
• Garlic cloves, crushed3
• Green chili, finely chopped1
• Ground cumin1 tsp
• Yemeni hawaij spice blend1/2 tsp
• Salt3/4 tsp, or to taste
• Vegetable oil2 tbsp
• Samn or ghee1 tbsp
• Fresh cilantro, chopped2 tbsp
• Lemon juice1 tbsp
• Yemeni sahawiq or bisbas2 tbsp, for serving

Method

1. Rinse the dried fava beans, cover them with plenty of water, and soak overnight.
2. Drain the soaked beans and place them in a heavy pot with the red lentils and 5 cups fresh water.
3. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours until the beans are very soft and the skins break easily.
4. Keep the beans in their cooking liquid; if the pot becomes dry, add hot water a little at a time.
5. In a clay pot, stone pot, or heavy saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat.
6. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly golden.
7. Stir in the garlic, green chili, tomato, cumin, hawaij, and salt, then cook until the tomato collapses into a thick sauce.
8. Add the cooked fava beans with about 1 cup of their cooking liquid to the tomato mixture.
9. Mash the beans coarsely with the back of a spoon or a wooden masher, leaving some beans whole for texture.
10. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until the foul is thick, creamy, and spoonable; add a splash of hot water if it tightens too much.
11. Stir in the lemon juice and half of the cilantro, then taste and adjust the salt.
12. Spoon into a shallow serving bowl, drizzle with melted samn or ghee, top with the remaining cilantro, and serve hot with sahawiq or bisbas and Yemeni bread.

Common questions