My dad was lucky enough to travel to Saudi Arabia a few years ago, and the one thing he raved about most was the delicious, delicious food. One of the dishes, in particular, that he has always wanted to recreate, was foul mudammas, which he ate everyday for breakfast. I was intrigued, so I tried several versions of this dish. It is traditionally made with fava beans, and according to my dad, is spicy with the consistency of refried beans.
I wasn't expecting this dish to be hard at all because it is so basic: beans, spices, garlic, lemon juice, tomato. However, fava beans are a mystery to me. Unlike most beans, favas have a very tough, fibrous outer shell which doesn't break down, even after cooking it for a long time. I have learned that for fresh fava beans, you need to blanch them first, then peel off the outer shell....meaning these beans take a long time to prep. I took the short route, though, and bought canned fava beans, and they still had a very tough outside. I'm not sure if they were prepped incorrectly and then canned, or if fava beans are just a tough bean!
So, I decided to scrap tradition (though I still feel a pang of guilt...I would really like to make this dish exactly how the Saudis do it...but oh, well), and use a bean I know works well: great northern beans. I love these beans because they are very neutral in flavor and cook rather quickly. I use them for soups all the time, and I've even made chocolate pudding out of them (see here)! Because of time restraints, I bought canned beans again, and the already soft beans made for a super quick meal!
On a side note, I used the liquid from the can in this recipe, but I usually never recommend this. Most canned beans are packed in salted liquid, so if you add it to your recipe, you are adding more sodium than you might want. I recommend for most recipes to pour out your beans (or whatever vegetable you might be eating from a can) into a colander and rinse them well. With this technique, you have complete control over the salt content in your recipe. Because I did add in the liquid to my foul mudammas, I made sure not to add any extra salt until the end.
I love the simplistic way this transports me overseas. The spices are familiar, but the combination of garlic, tart lemon, and olive oil is quintessentially Middle Eastern. Trying traditional recipes is the cheapest way to travel! Though, next time my dad goes somewhere that exciting...he's going to have to take me along! :)
Foul Mudammas
(Adapted from a recipe online...but I didn't write down the source...sorry)
2 cans (15oz) great northern beans..or any neutral, white bean is fine
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder, optional to taste
1 cup green onion, thin slice
1 large tomato, medium dice
juice of 1 lemon, about 2 TB or to taste
salt to taste, if needed
extra virgin olive oil, optional to taste
pita bread, option to serve
1. In a large soup pot, add beans with liquid from the can and enough water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Let cook 5-8 mins, stirring occasionally.
2. Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, and lemon juice to beans. Let cook another 5-8 mins, stirring occasionally. Add more water if beans start to stick to the bottom of the pan. Beans should be very soft and liquid should be thickened.
3. Add in green onion and tomato and more lemon juice if needed. Cook for another 5 mins or until the tomatoes break down and the onions soften.
4. Serve hot topped with olive oil (if desired) and pita bread. Or, use as refried beans in burritos or enchiladas, or as a side dish by themselves. We ate ours as a spicy bean soup, which was great! This dish is also great for breakfast, which is how it is traditionally eaten. :)
ENJOY!
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