- A well-known Arabic proverb says that ful is “the rich man’s breakfast, the shopkeeper’s lunch, the poor man’s supper.” Whether this is true or not, the fact is that in Ramadan, ful is an essential dish to break the fast for both the rich and poor and everyone in between.
As a result, we are providing you with a recipe for this appetizing dish of mashed fava beans in this last article of the Ramadan recipe series. Serve the dip with fresh tamiz, a thick Afghan bread that is very popular in Saudi Arabia as well.
Enjoy the last few days of Ramadan and Eid Mubarak!
1 can fava beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 cup dried fava beans, soaked overnight and drained
100 ml water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground red chilli (optional)
1 large tomato, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp tahini to taste (optional)
olive oil to taste
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leave parsley
lemon quarters, to serve
tamiz bread, to serve
1. If you use dried beans, place them in a medium pot and add four cups of water. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer covered for two to three hours until beans are very tender. Drain the beans.
2. In a skillet, fry the chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil until they start to brown. Add the ground spices. After one minute, add the chopped tomato.
4. Cook for a few minutes until the tomato starts breaking apart. Add the beans and a little bit of hot water. Add salt and pepper to taste and leave for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat.
5. Put the mixture in a blender and puree until smooth, or leave a bit chunky. Stir in tahini if you like, drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle some chopped parsley.
Serve immediately with lemon quarters and tamiz.

