Ful medames salad (Arabic: سلطة فول مدمس) is an Arab breakfast mezze favorite, but it is also eaten as a hearty salad. It typically consists of fava beans, chopped tomatoes, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper and salt.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ful_medames
Most of the ful medames recipes I’ve shared so far have been warm dishes, mostly of a consistency to be used as a dip, made with beans that are mashed to at least some degree. They may be served with a fresh vegetable topping, but wouldn’t be classified as a salad by any means.
Well, there’s another way to prepare ful!
Middle Eastern cooks, especially Syrian and Lebanese, seem to be masters of using the same few basic ingredients and creating an incredible array of different salads by changing up the primary ingredient. It’s amazing to me how many Middle Eastern salads start with tomato, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice, and yet they don’t feel boring or repetitive.
This is generally served as a warm salad, warm beans tossed with fresh veggies and dressing, and I do think it’s probably best that way. Certainly, it’s best when fresh, as the tomatoes get mushy in the refrigerator.
Based on the recipes I looked at, I used half fava beans and half chickpeas for this recipe. You could easily use two cans of fava beans, or heck, whatever type of beans you like. The tahini sauce is also not present in every recipe I looked at. You can leave it off if you like, or mix it in with the beans for a creamier consistency.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this delicious Middle Eastern salad.
Ful Salad
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
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1 15-oz. can fava beans, drained
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained
¼-½ cup water
½ bunch parsley
1 ½ large tomatoes
1 green onion
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 ⅔ teaspoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tahini
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons water
Optional:
½ yellow onion, finely diced
2 Roma tomatoes, in place of large tomatoes
2 mint leaves, finely sliced
Place the drained beans in a pot with a little water. Bring to a simmer and cook for a few minutes, until warmed through.
Meanwhile, remove large stems from the parsley, and finely mince the leaves. Dice the tomato, and finely slice the green onion. Combine the vegetables in a large bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, 3 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, salt, and ground cumin.
In a separate bowl, whisk together tahini, 4 teaspoons lemon juice, and 2 Tablespoons of water.
Once the beans are warm, drain off any excess water and add them to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the olive oil mixture over the beans and mix well.
Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with the tahini sauce.
Serve with toasted pita.
Lorin cooks Legumes 