Spicy Ful Mudammas (Fava Beans) With Olive Oil and Chili Recipe

Ful mudammas, stewed fava beans, is a staple dish all over the Levant. Some versions are mild-mannered and comforting. This one, loaded with olive oil, lemon, garlic, cumin, and a kick of chili flakes, is anything but. Serve it as a bean stew or mash up the beans and use it as a high octane dip.

Why this recipe works:

- Toasting cumin seeds, then mashing them with garlic and chili flakes in a mortar and pestle releases maximum flavor.
- Replacing some of the bean broth with olive oil makes for an intense grassy and pungent base for an abundance of spices and garlic.

YIELD: serves 3 to 4
ACTIVE TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, freshly toasted
2 teaspoons chili flakes
Kosher salt
2 (15-ounce) cans fava beans
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon tahini
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice from 2 lemons, or more to taste

Directions

1. Put garlic cloves, cumin seeds, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle and crush until seeds are cracked and garlic is in small, flimsy chunks. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, mince garlic very fine.

2. Empty one can of fava beans (with liquid) into a medium saucepan; drain second can and add additional beans, garlic paste, olive oil, and tahini. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until liquid retains some brothiness but turns thick and sauce-like, about 5 minutes.

3. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. If desired, mash one third of beans with a potato masher for a thicker stew, or mash all beans for a rich dip. Serve with additional olive oil at the table.

Special Equipment

mortar and pestle (recommended but not required; see step 1)

Source: Serious Eats