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1
Smash garlic cloves with a flat part of the knife and remove the outer layers.
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2
Chop parsley.
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3
In a small skillet toast cumin seeds until you can smell their intense aroma.
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4
Transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind.
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5
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot and add the garlic cloves and cumin.
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6
Saute one minute and add drained fava beans.
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7
Cover with water, put a lid on and simmer for about an hour or until beans are soft.
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8
Drain cooked beans through a sieve, reserving the flavorful water.
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9
Let them cool down a bit and start shelling them.
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10
Make a small cut or tear a small opening on one end of a bean and squeeze the content back into the flavorful water.
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11
Throw away the shells.
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12
Bring back beans to a boil and using potato masher, mash them slightly.
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13
Add parsley, lemon juice and tomatoes and simmer few more minutes until slightly reduced and thick.
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14
Stir from time to time.
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15
At the end season with salt and pepper and serve with pita bread.
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16
Note: This can be made either with young fava beans or old ones.
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17
I used older ones which have a brown color; young fava beans are very green in color.
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18
If you use young beans you probably wont have to shell them but honestly Ive never seen Ful Medames made with green beans, thats why I used older, brown beans.
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19
If youre discouraged by the process of shelling beans, dont worry, its not that bad and since the beans are really large, it goes pretty fast.
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20
Some people prefer to shell fava beans before cooking but I find it easier to do it after theyve been simmering for an hour.
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21
That way you can just squeeze them and they easily pop out of their shells.
