Lebanon | Foul

I have always been a breakfast enthusiast so when I was researching some staple foods in Lebanon, I was especially intrigued by Foul (Ful), which is a middle eastern breakfast dish. The cuisine in Lebanon gets a lot of influence from those who ruled the land before 1946 when the country gained it’s independence. From 1516 to 1918, the Ottoman Empire controlled Lebanon and brought in staple dishes like baklava (a sweet pastry dessert), laban (homemade yogurt), and stuffed vegetables. After WW1 when the Ottoman Empire was defeated, France took over and brought in desserts like flan (a traditional caramel custard) and croissants.

Foul is a savory meal that has a chili-like consistency to it. It is composed primarily of smashed fava beans and chickpeas, an assortment of spices, and tahini sauce (a sesame based paste).

I loved this simple meal. It took all of about 15 minutes to prepare from start to finish and was very filling (as well as cheap). It is a great appetizer for a holiday party or your “start of the day” breakfast with some pita or kumaj bread.

Ingredients Needed:

Serves 4

28 oz. Fava Beans 

10 oz. Chick Peas 

3 Cloves of Garlic

3/4 Lemon 

1 1/2 tb. Tahini Paste

2/3 tsp. Ground Cumin

2/3 tsp. Salt

A handful of Parsley

1/2 Diced Tomato

Olive Oil


Instructions

Add the fava beans with their liquid to a large pot. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then add to the pot of fava beans. Warm on medium heat for 10 minutes. 

  1. Crush the garlic with a half teaspoon of salt. Juice the lemon. 

  2. Add the warmed fava bean and chickpea mixture to a serving bowl. Using the mortar you crushed the garlic with, mash the fava beans and chickpeas until about ½ to ¾ of the mixture is mashed. (based on your personal preference.) Add the crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin, tahini paste, and salt. Mix to combine. 

  3. Add ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or any hot pepper for a kick. (Optional)

  4. Finely chop the parsley leaves and the tomato and set aside for serving.

  5. Serve the foul with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and tomatoes, and drizzle with olive oil. 

Recipe by: Simply Lebanese

Jack Hatzfeld