Egyptian ful medames with olive oil and lemon

Start the Egyptian ful medames by preparing the beans. Open the cans of cooked beans, drain the liquid and rinse the beans well under running cold water until it runs clear. Transfer them to a small pot and pour in 100 ml of fresh water so they do not scorch on the bottom.

Set the pot over medium heat and let the contents warm through slowly for about five minutes, stirring now and then. Mash roughly one third of the beans with a fork or a potato masher right in the pot. This gives a thick creamy base dotted with whole beans that is typical of this dish.

Peel a few cloves of garlic and press them straight into the pot with the beans. Add ground cumin, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Warm everything through briefly so the spices release their aroma and blend with the beans.

Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and pour over a generous amount of olive oil. Stir briefly and taste. The dish should be distinctly tangy and fresh, so add a little more salt or lemon if needed.

Divide the finished dish among bowls or deep plates. Drizzle it with a little more olive oil, scatter generously with chopped fresh parsley and serve at once with warm flatbread, toast or pita.