Ful Medames — country by country
Slow-stewed fava beans — Egypt's gift to every breakfast table in the region.
Every country brings its own touch. Here's how they differ.
⚔️ Head to head
Pick two kitchens and see exactly where they part ways.
🇪🇬 Egypt
✨ Mashed smooth with cumin, oil, and lime; endless toppings from tahina to sahawiq.
Only in Egypt
- cooked fava beans (or canned)
- ground cumin
- limes
- oil or ghee
- tomatoes, onion, parsley to top
🇱🇧 Lebanon
✨ Whole beans with chickpeas, sharp lemon, raw garlic, and a flood of olive oil — never mashed to a paste.
Only in Lebanon
- cooked fava beans
- cooked chickpeas
- lemons
- olive oil
- mint, radish, olives to serve
🤝 Both use
- garlic
🇪🇬 Egypt
⏱ 20 minIn Egypt ful is civilization: mashed with cottonseed oil, cumin, and lime, from carts that never close.
✨ What makes it special
Mashed smooth with cumin, oil, and lime; endless toppings from tahina to sahawiq.
🇱🇧 Lebanon
⏱ 20 minLebanese ful keeps the beans whole, swimming in lemon and olive oil with chickpeas invited along.
✨ What makes it special
Whole beans with chickpeas, sharp lemon, raw garlic, and a flood of olive oil — never mashed to a paste.
🇸🇾 Syria
⏱ 20 minKnown here as: Ful bi-zeit / Fawaregh style
Damascus mornings mean ful with extra cumin, chili, and a swirl of tahini on top.
✨ What makes it special
A tahini swirl and Aleppo chili oil over lemony whole beans.