Sudanese Ful Medames with Cumin Flatbread

Ingredients

• 2 cans fava beans, with their liquid
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 4 pieces flatbread
• 1 green chili, minced
• 2 lemons, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley

Steps

1. Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, half the onion, the chili, half the lemon juice, and a pinch of salt together for the salad and leave it to sit.
2. Tip the fava beans into a saucepan with their liquid and 1/2 cup water and bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the beans are very soft and starting to break down at the edges.
4. Crush about half the beans against the side of the pan with a fork or masher, leaving the rest whole. That mix of crushed and whole is the texture ful is meant to have; blending it smooth turns it into hummus.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a small pan, add the remaining onion, and cook for 4 minutes, then the garlic and cumin for 30 seconds until fragrant.
6. Stir the spiced oil into the beans with the remaining lemon juice and the salt. Taste and push the seasoning further than feels right; ful is bland without plenty of salt, cumin, and acid.
7. Warm the flatbread for 20 seconds a side in a dry pan.
8. Spread the ful in a shallow bowl, make a well in the centre, pour in the remaining olive oil, and serve with the tomato salad, cilantro, and lemon wedges.

Allergen note: Contains gluten.

Use the listed quantities as a guide, adjust seasoning to taste, and cook proteins to a safe internal temperature.