Egypt enters Guinness Book of Records with 4-ton ful platter

Egyptian cooks broke a new world record on Saturday with their four-ton fava bean platter, locally known as ful.

Weighing 4,155 kilograms, this platter was officially registered in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's “largest vegetable stew.”

Prior to this culinary world record, Egyptian chefs had prepared the largest slice of cheese in 2012, and the largest platter of koshari (a mix of pastas, chickpeas, lentils, rice, fried onions, and salsa) in January this year.

The gargantuan ful platter was prepared by a team of 18 chefs during a cooking festival held on Mother's Day (March 21) in Cairo's Horreya Garden. It measured 100 square meters and was nearly four feet high. Preparation and sponsorship was organized by the Knorr Fine Foods Company.

Citing the chefs involved, local media outlets reported that this gigantic ful platter included: 300 kilograms of tomatoes, 200 kgs of onions, 25 kgs of hot peppers, 25 kgs of colored peppers, 50 kgs of parsley, and 40 kgs of tehina.

Following the documentation of their record-breaking event, the ful was reportedly distributed by charity groups to an estimated 7,500 needy families in Cairo, and other governorates. Some estimates suggest that around 13,000 individuals ate from the dish.

While felafel and koshari are popularly-available foods, ful is by far the most common staple and affordable dish in Egypt, consumed by tens of millions each day.