If you live in the US or elsewhere and you would like to get a glimpse of the food most popular in Egypt, then open a can of foul mudammas and make yourself a bowl of foul.

Foul mudammas in cans is available at any Middle-Eastern store or even the ethnic section of supermarkets.

Foul is fava beans and is considered the national (street) dish of Egypt. I am not saying that a can is the same experience as eating it in the streets of Cairo, but it will give you an idea.

Foul is pronounced fool.

Foul is beloved in Lebanon as well, however prepared a bit differently with the addition of chick peas in the broth.

This meal is very cheap, very nutritious and very speedy. It also tastes good and is part of the Arab comfort food inventory.

INGREDIENTS: 4 to 6 servings

• 2 cans of foul mudammas
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 large tomato
• olive oil, as needed
• 1 lemon
• 1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
• 1/4 cup of fresh herb (parsley, cilantro or dill)
• 4 to 6 eggs
• pita bread or any flatbread, as needed

METHOD:

1. Open the cans and start heating the beans gently; using an immersion blender or a meat mallet, crush the beans a bit to get some of them mashed up.
2. Peel the garlic, remove the green germ, chop in little pieces and mash in a mortar with a dash of salt till pasty.
3. Peel and chop and seed the tomato and add to the beans. Add the chili if using.
4. Juice the lemon and add to the mashed garlic, transfer to the beans and add a few tablespoons of olive oil.
5. Add some chopped herbs, and stir the beans to combine all the ingredients. Place the egg one at a time in a small microwavable bowl and add 1/4 cup of water to the egg. Cover and heat for one minute (more or less depending on your oven). The egg will turn opaque. Drain the water and plop the poached egg on the bean mixture. Proceed with the other eggs.
6. Serve the foul with pita or flatbread.

NOTE: Traditionally, foul is served with hard-boiled eggs.