Ful Mudammas

“Some ideas are by frequency and strength of association so closely combined that they cannot be separated; if one exists, the other exists along with it in spite of whatever effort we make to disjoin them.” (Analysis of the Human Mind, 2nd ed., vol. i, p. 93)

That is the relationship for me between ful mudammas and classical Egyptian music. During my undergraduate years as a student of architecture, I was introduced to both of them. All-nighters were quite common; in fact they were expected of us as we were given deadlines that gave us no other choice but to stay up all night, time and again.

Um Kalthoum and Abdel Halim Hafiz made the long nights bearable and lively. The role of ful mudammas came later, during the early morning hours. We would drive to Old Jeddah for the Fajr prayer, then right after, it was ful time. The traditional restaurants where it was served were simple and unpretentious. The ful would be cooking all night in a copper pot and is timed to be ready by Fajr time, perfectly synchronized with our all-nighters. It is served with tamees, a traditional bread baked in a tandoori oven. The ful is topped with blended tomatoes, ground cumin, salt and ground black pepper.

A breakfast of ful mudammas, tamees and tea with milk, provided us with a boost of energy that made it possible for us to go to classes in the morning and concentrate.

In many parts of the Middle East, ful mudammas is a must for breaking the fast in Ramadan. By late afternoon, long lines form at ful joints. Ful is also great for suhoor (the pre-dawn meal during Ramadan). The song we chose for the video is by Sayyed Makkawi who was well-known for his role as the Missaharati (announcer of the pre-dawn meal). He composed music for Um Kalthoum and was also a great singer.

Both ful mudammas and classical Egyptian music are addictive. Both slow, both to be savoured. For some, inseparable, an association that can be lifelong.

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