Ful Medames Habesha

Ful medames — slow-cooked fava beans mashed with spiced butter, onion, and fresh tomato — is the great communal breakfast of Ethiopia and Eritrea, eaten with injera or crusty bread across every social class. Dating back centuries along the Nile valley trade routes, it remains the most widely eaten morning meal in the Horn of Africa. The Ethiopian version is distinguished by niter kibbeh and berbere giving it a warmth unlike any other iteration.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 400g (14 oz) tinned fava beans (broad beans), drained and rinsed; or 250g (1¼ cups) dried fava beans, soaked overnight and boiled until tender
• 2 tbsp (30g) niter kibbeh or ghee
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 tsp berbere spice blend
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt to taste
• Fresh green chilli, sliced (optional)

To serve:

• Injera, or crusty white bread
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved (optional)
• Extra niter kibbeh for drizzling

Instructions

1. Heat niter kibbeh or ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 6-8 minutes until soft and beginning to turn golden.
2. Add garlic, berbere, and cumin. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the drained fava beans and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down and the beans are heated through.
4. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, partially mash the beans — the dish should be roughly textured, not smooth. Leave at least half the beans whole.
5. Squeeze in lemon juice and season well with salt. Add a splash of water if the mixture looks too dry; it should be thick and scoopable.
6. Serve in a deep dish or directly in the pan. Drizzle with extra niter kibbeh and garnish with sliced green chilli if desired. Accompany with injera or bread and halved eggs.

Cook's Notes: Tinned fava beans make this dish genuinely quick — do not feel obliged to use dried. The final drizzle of niter kibbeh over the top is not optional — it is what makes the dish sing. Ful keeps refrigerated for 3 days and actually improves overnight.