Foul Mudammas Recipe

Old Damascus is a magical place, nestled within 8 gates to the city, it fails to lose its charm and bewitchment. With its narrow and cobbled roads lined with attached houses on both sides winding around and housing some little shops and tiny restaurants scattered within.

Nearer to the Omayad mosque lays the only ancient standing storyteller cafe (Al Nafoura). As a university student, I frequented that café so often with my friends, but we always had a short detour before our arrival, Abu Ahmad al afghani the (fawal) meaning the person who serves Foul, his shop was no bigger than 2 x 3 meters with2 tables and several wodden and straw stools, we would swing by the bakery next door and buy freshly baked bread to enjoy with our meal. What I know is that the shop is still there but whether Abu Ahmad still runs it, that I don’t know.

Foul mudamas is a cooked dried fava bean salad served in different methods depending on the city and the country. In Damascus, we eat it (bil badweh) which is a tahini and hummus-based sauce, or with lemon and garlic. Regardless of the method both ways are topped with tomatoes and plenty of parsley. This dish is very nutritious, satisfying, filling and in this recipe vegan.

Not a week would pass without a Syrian having at least one plate of the pure goodness.

I add a dash of cumin which helps with the digestion and the prevention of bloating.

We love eating this dish with bread, pickles and freshly sliced onions.

Enjoy.

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tins precooked organic fava beans

• 2-3 lemons

• 1 cup parsley

• 2 tomatoes

• 2-3 cloves garlic

• 1 small onion

• Salt to taste

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

· pour the fava beans in a pot along with the liquid and bring to a boil and set aside,

· Chop the tomatoes, onion and parsley and set aside.

· Juice the lemons and set aside.

· In a serving bowl place the fava beans along with half the liquid, then add salt, crushed garlic, lemon to taste, cumin and toss together.

· Top with the chopped onion, parsley and tomatoes.

· drizzle with olive oil and serve warm with pita bread, pickles and sliced onions.

Notes:

· If you want to boil your own dried fava beans, make sure you soak them in water overnight then wash, drain and cook in water for several hours making sure to scoop the scum that rises to the surface.

· The badweh sauce is a mix of hummus(msabha), yoghurt , lemon juice, yogurt and garlic.

Per Serving: 459 Calories; 15g Fat (27.9% calories from fat); 22g Protein; 67g Carbohydrate; 21g Dietary Fibre; 0mg Cholesterol; 29mg Sodium.