Kacang Pool - Singaporean-style fava bean stew

a classic dish inspired by the Middle Eastern 'ful medammes' (فول مدمس)

making kacang pool these days reminds me of my late grandfather - this was one of his favourite dishes and we used to explore food spots around Singapore to try different versions of the dish. as he got older into his 80s, this dish was particularly practical as it was ideal for his weak, aging teeth - the soft fava beans were easy to consume and didn’t require much biting or chewing.

it’s been increasingly difficult to find Kacang Pool at hawkers these days and so my family and I make this at home. it is especially divine eaten for breakfast, leaving us energised and charged for the day. we always serve it with a sunny side up and the combination of runny yolk with mushy fava beans makes it so decadent!

while Kacang Pool traces its origins from the Middle East through Arab traders in the region, the dish has embedded itself in the local food culture in the past century and is a popular staple within the Malay communities, with the recipe being adapted to suit local taste.

now, if you haven’t tried making this yet, it’s probably time you should. not only that it’s high in fibre, it’s also relatively EASY to prepare and requires a short cooking time since the canned beans are already parcooked.

@nomies.coI never knew kacang pool could be a love language as well 🥺💕 2025 is the Year of Celebrating Social Service Professionals where we recognise and celebrate the contributions of professionals in the social service sector. Find out more at: go.gov.sg/ycprofessionals #sgfoodie #beans #stew 🫘🍳

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Kacang Pool

(serves 6)

3 tbsp oil or ghee
1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced

blended ingredients:
5 cloves garlic, peeled
15g ginger, sliced

2 tbsp meat curry powder
2 cans cooked fava beans ‘ful medammes’ (400g each), including the brine
1 cup water
salt, to taste
dash of ground black pepper

accompaniments:
6 eggs
3 tbsp oil or ghee
6 shallots, thinly sliced
3 green chilies, sliced
6 calamansi, halved
french loaf / baguette / banh mi bread / sourdough, sliced, buttered and toasted

directions

• in a pot, heat oil or ghee and sauté onions until golden brown.

• blend the garlic and ginger into a fine paste and add into the pot along with the diced tomatoes. saute for another 5 minutes. sprinkle in the meat curry powder and fry for another 3 minutes until the aroma has risen.

• pour in the canned beans with the brine and mix well. using a potato masher or a fork, mash the beans into a chunky mass and then add in the water. cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes for the flavours to come together.

• season with salt and black pepper and adjust the consistency of the stew, if needed. be careful not to add too much salt as the canned beans are already salted.

• in a separate pan or skillet, heat oil or ghee and fry the eggs one by one to sunny side up or over-easy doneness.

• portion the the kacang pool onto a plate and top with a fried egg, sliced shallots, green chilli and a squeeze of calamansi. serve with choice of toast for dipping. you can also drizzle ghee, melted butter or olive oil onto the kacang pool if desired.

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  for more recipes of Singaporean breakfast dishes, check these out!: