“Beans have satisfied even the Pharaohs”…An Old Arabic quote
Happy New Year!
This post has been long overdue, as we are well into January and apologies for wishing everyone so late.
I do hope the New Year has begun on a healthier and hopeful note for everyone! It is the perfect opportunity to indeed start making those resolutions that each one of us said we would make.
Eating healthier and making good lifestyle changes is one that tops most of our lists. Now doesn’t this sound familiar?
Well I sat down earlier in this month and penned down a few simple goals to improve my diet this year. Being in the Culinary profession (teaching) and recipe creation is a tough call, as it puts one’s own health on standby and very often I tend to indulge in a lot of unnecessary calories and junk food that one can very well avoid.
Well here is a simple list of things I intend to follow this year.( Or Atleast Hope To)
- No more fads and strict diets ( yes we have all been there. I have been on some sorts every year, right from The Low Carb, Atkins, Fit For Life, Keto) and while these are great for quick weight loss, most are unsustainable.
- Following Intuitive eating habits: So eating only when one is hungry and not because it’s time to eat.
- Making friends with Carbohydrates (in moderation)
- Loading up on vegetables. I love my veggies, so perhaps more of a variety this year.
- We do cook a lot of Beans and Legumes at home so perhaps incorporate more recipes using them.
- Trying to reduce Salt and Sugar ( oh yes, I’ve now experimented with various sugar-free alternatives in my baking and that is working great)
Now while the family enjoys chicken and meat for dinners, I love using beans and legumes at least twice a week as vegetarian options and Meatless mondays. The weekly meal plans do of course include several raw salads, vegetables that are lightly sauteed, dals, brown rice and fresh fish.Having lived in the sunny Dubai for over two decades, the family had been craving for some Middle eastern flavors yesterday. I decided to make “Ful Medames” or also known as Ful (to be pronounced as Fool Medames). This is essentially a hearty stew that is made up of Fava Beans or broad beans,cooked along with onions, tomatoes, garlic and Olive oil. I have used some canned Fava beans for this recipe,however you may buy them loose just like chickpeas and soak them overnight and follow a stove top method to cook them.
This dish is very popular in the Middle east and the Levant region. All though it’s rightly called the “National Dish of Egypt”, it forms an integral part of the cuisines of the Arab and African cultures.
This traditional breakfast of fava beans can be eaten at all times of the day. Restaurants serve it as a mezze, and it is often sold as street food.
So while I was getting ready to make this, I received a message from the lovely folks at Queen’s Birista,here in Toronto, wanting to send across a package of these wonderful fried onions to sample. I was quite delighted and decided to use some of it as a garnish. The best part about these onions are that you may use them for a rich dark curry base as well.
The best part about this meal is that I received a package of delicious fried Onions from Queen’s Birista.
- These fried onions have no flour coating and hence gluten free
- The are 100% natural and Vegan
- They work great as a base in curry making or even as a garnish over meals such as the Ful Medames, Soups ,Curries and rice and Biryani’s.
- Saves cooking time and NO MORE TEARS WHILE CHOPPING ONIONS
- They had an extra crunch to salads and make a wonderful filling between sandwiches.
- These onions are fried in Sunflower Oil and are preservative free.
- Available in 300 grams bag size packets packaged in keep fresh ziplock pouches.
- For more information on this product please visit their website www.queensbirista.ca
What garnish To Use For Ful Medames?
- Freshly chopped Tomatoes
- Chopped parsley
- Fried Onions
- Olives
- Olive Oil
- Tahini
What can I serve along with this meal?
- Pita Bread
- Fresh Garden Salad
- Tabouleh (Middle eastern salad)
- Brown Rice
- Falafels
oOur meal last night turned out delicious! Especially when garnished with crispy fried onions
Some Nutrition Facts On Fava Beans
- Fava beans are extremely nutritious and a great source of soluble fiber, protein, folate, manganese, copper and several other micronutrients.
- Contain Immune Boosting Nutrients
- Research in both animals and humans suggests that adequate levels of manganese and copper — two nutrients that are abundant in fava beans — may promote bone strength.
Recipe As Follows:
Ingredients:
- 1 can Fava Beans
- 1 medium onion finely chopped or (Queen’s Birista) Fried Onions
- 1 fresh tomato (freshly chopped)
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika or chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1-2 tablespoons tahini paste
Garnish:
- Chopped parsley or cilantro
- Fried Onions (Queen B)
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Olive Oil
Directions:
- Heat one tablespoon of the Olive Oil in a saute pan or skillet.
- Add in the finely chopped onions and saute till brown or use ready to use Fried Onions.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes and cook till they have softened.
- Next add in the chili powder or paprika, garlic powder and roasted cumin powder.
- Season with salt and mix well.
- Add a little water if required.
- Stir in the tahini paste and remove turn off the heat.
- Serve this hot and garnish with freshly chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro or parsley and drizzle with some Olive oil.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary package of fried Onions from Queen’s barista for recipe development purposes as per mutual agreement between us I have incorporated the use of their product as a garnish in the recipe above.
Cookingwithshy 
Flavorful and filling. That’s good. 😍🌿
Love this protein-rich stew garnished with fried onions.
This brings back happy memories of Baladi bread with fuul!
Looks delicious!😋
Yes indeed a hearty and satisfying bean stew:))
This sounds delicious, I love the Tahini in it 😀
Yes Myra, the tahini gives a wonderful creamy texture to this hearty bean stew.
We eat beans quite often and I like the idea of adding some tahini.
Thanks Karen! Yes the Tahini gives the stew a wonderful creamy texture.