Egyptian Ful Mudammas

Method10 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 12 ounces dried skin-on fava beans, 1 cup dried chickpeas and ½ cup red lentils in a large container. Cover with water by at least 3 inches and stir in the ½ teaspoon baking soda. Soak for 6 hours in the refrigerator.

   Soak the dried legumes · 360 minUses 12 oz dried small or medium skin-on fava beans · 1 cup dried chickpeas · ½ cup red lentils · ½ tsp baking soda · Water for soaking, enough to cover the dried legumes by at least 3 inches

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain the soaked legumes from step 1, discard the soaking water and put the drained legumes in a large regular stovetop pot.

   Uses Soaked fava beans, chickpeas and lentils with soaking water

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel and roughly chop the 3 medium carrots. Chop the 1 medium tomato and the 5 peeled base garlic cloves. Add these vegetables to the drained legumes in the pot from step 2.

   Uses Drained soaked legumes · 3 medium carrots · 1 medium tomato · 5 garlic cloves for the bean base

4. 4

   Step 4: Add fresh water to the legumes and vegetables from step 3, covering them by at least 2½ inches.

   Uses Drained legumes and base vegetables in the stovetop pot · Fresh cooking water, enough to cover the drained legumes and vegetables by at least 2½ inches

5. 5

   Step 5: Bring the pot from step 4 to a boil, then cover and reduce to a steady medium-low simmer. Cook for about 4–5 hours. Check the water level regularly and add water as needed, aiming for 2–3 inches above the beans and never allowing it to fall below 1 inch. Check the fava beans, chickpeas and lentils separately: all must be fully soft and easy to mash with a fork. Continue cooking if any remain firm.

   Uses Legumes, vegetables and fresh cooking water · Water, as needed to maintain the bean pot liquid level during simmering

6. 6

   Step 6: When every type of legume is fully soft, take the pot from step 5 off the heat. Drain through a strainer, reserving about 1½–2 cups of the cooking liquid. Return that reserved liquid to the cooked beans and vegetables.

   Uses Fully softened beans and vegetables with cooking liquid

7. 7

   Step 7: Pulse the drained beans and vegetables with their returned 1½–2 cups cooking liquid from step 6 using an immersion blender until the consistency is as smooth as you like.

   Uses Cooked beans and vegetables with about 1½–2 cups reserved liquid

8. 8

   Step 8: Measure 4 cups of the warm plain ful from step 7 into a bowl for this dip. Keep this portion ready for step 9. Cool the remaining plain ful promptly in shallow containers, then pack it in freezer-safe bags and freeze. Freeze the plain base before adding the fresh dip toppings.

   Uses 4 cups plain ful for this dip · Remaining plain ful for freezing

9. 9

   Step 9: Have the reserved 4 cups warm ful from step 8 ready in its bowl. Prepare the 1 cup chopped tomatoes, 1 cup chopped Persian cucumber and ½ cup chopped red onion for the dip. Mash the 2 peeled dip garlic cloves with a little of the to-taste salt, and squeeze the juice from the 1 lime.

   Uses 4 cups warm plain ful reserved for this dip · 1 cup chopped tomatoes · 1 cup chopped Persian cucumber (or English cucumber) · ½ cup chopped red onion · 2 fresh garlic cloves for the dip · 1 lime · A little salt for mashing the dip garlic

10. 10

    Step 10: Mix the tahini (2 tbsp) and garlic paste, lime juice and 1 teaspoon ground cumin into the warm ful from step 9. Mix in the prepared tomatoes, cucumber and red onion, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons olive oil over the completed dip and serve warm.

    Uses Four-cup warm ful bowl and prepared tomato, cucumber, onion, garlic paste and lime juice · 2 tbsp tahini · 1 tsp ground cumin · salt and pepper to taste · 2 tbsp olive oil