Arabic recipesStarters
Foul bi Laban: Damascene Warm Fava Beans with Yogurt & Tahini
Foul bi Laban is a staple Friday breakfast and Ramadan suhoor bowl from Damascus pairing steaming tender whole fava beans with a cool, velvety blanket of yogurt, sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Topped with diced tomatoes, parsley, ground cumin, and extra-virgin olive oil, it comes together in 20 minutes.
Also known as:Syrian ful with yogurt tahini sauceDamascene foul medamesWarm fava beans in tahini yogurt
Servings4
Prep time10 min
Cook time10 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 800 g cooked whole fava beans (foul medammas) in their liquid
- 250 g full-fat plain yogurt plus 1 tbsp creamy Syrian labneh
- 3 tbsp smooth sesame tahini
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves crushed to a paste with 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin plus a pinch of sumac or paprika
- 1 ripe tomato finely diced, chopped flat-leaf parsley, and 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (or 1 tbsp melted ghee)
Preparation Steps
- 1Simmer the fava beans in their liquid covered over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes until skins and centres are buttery tender; lightly crush a quarter of the beans.
- 2Whisk yogurt, labneh, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic paste in a bowl, thinning with two spoonfuls of hot bean broth until silky and pourable.
- 3Transfer the piping-hot drained fava beans into a deep earthenware bowl.
- 4Spoon the cool yogurt-tahini sauce generously across the warm beans.
- 5Scatter with diced tomatoes, parsley, cumin, and sumac, pool olive oil on top, and serve immediately with warm flatbread, fresh mint, and pickles.
