A traditional Egyptian breakfast made with fava beans, designed to keep you full all day, Ful also happens to be one of my favorite dinners!

2 cans fava beans

1 can chickpeas drained & rinse

1 small onion chopped

2 ripe tomatoes chopped

1-2 cloves garlic minced

juice of one lemon

1 Tablespoon Cumin

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons olive oil

Optional Toppings:

Hardboiled eggs

Pita Bread

Lebna (see note)

Green onion for garnish

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion until soft, add chopped tomatoes and stir for 1 minute. Add cumin, stirring for 1 – 2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in fava beans (do not drain) and chickpeas (drained and rinsed) and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together remaining olive oil, garlic and the juice of one lemon.

As it cooks, the mixture will thicken – the end result is supposed to be the consistency of chili. Add olive oil, lemon, garlic mixture and allow to cook for 10 more minutes. Taste and add salt to your liking.

Serve with topped with green onion, lebna, and hardboiled egg and warm pita bread on the side.

Note: Lebna is a yogurt cheese. Make your own by placing a coffee filter in a colander (over a deep bowl) and filling it with plain yogurt. Allow the yogurt to drain for 1 hour or more, discarding the drippings. What’s left in the colander is a thick, creamy yogurt, perfect for topping.