Slow-simmered fava beans dressed with olive oil, lemon, cumin, and fresh vegetables. Sudan's most essential everyday meal.
Ingredients
500g cooked fava beans (ful), drained with some cooking liquid reserved
2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or rocket leaves for garnish
Flatbread for serving
Instructions
1Place the cooked fava beans in a medium saucepan with about half a cup of their reserved cooking liquid. Warm gently over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the liquid begins to simmer.
2Using a potato masher or the back of a large fork, mash roughly one third of the beans in the pot to create a creamy base while leaving the remaining beans whole for contrasting texture throughout the dish.
3Season the warm beans generously with ground cumin, salt, and black pepper. Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir everything together, then cook for two more minutes to allow the flavours to meld into the beans.
4Transfer the seasoned beans to a wide shallow serving bowl, spreading them out evenly. Drizzle the sesame oil and olive oil liberally over the surface, letting it pool in the natural crevices of the mashed beans.
5Scatter the diced tomatoes and chopped red onion over the top of the dressed beans, creating an attractive layer of fresh vegetables. Tear fresh parsley or rocket leaves and arrange them as a final garnish.
6Serve immediately with warm flatbread on the side, using the bread to scoop up generous portions of the seasoned beans along with the fresh toppings. This is traditionally eaten as a hearty breakfast dish in Sudan.