Cairo mornings begin with ful and taameya. Ful medames is a pot of slow-cooked fava beans dressed with lemon, cumin, oil or tahini. Taameya — Egypt’s own falafel — is made with fava beans and herbs, giving the fried patties their bright green centre. Put both in baladi bread with salad, pickles and tahini and you have breakfast.

Where to try it

Look for a busy traditional breakfast counter around Bab El Louq and Downtown. El Tabei El Domyati is a useful name to seek out for Egyptian breakfast and casual local food; neighbourhood ful carts are also worth following when you see a steady morning queue.

Find El Tabei El Domyati on Google Maps

Go early, when the bread is fresh and the taameya is coming straight out of the fryer. Order a mix rather than choosing just one.