Georgian Green Bean Lobio

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Get all your ingredients ready. If you're making lobio in season, fresh beans are of course best. But frozen beans work great too — ideally whole ones rather than cut. Out of season, you can also swap the fresh tomato for tomato paste. I recommend using fresh garlic and dill, which make the finished dish especially fragrant. Adjust the heat and the amount of spices to your taste.

2. Step 2:

   

   Pour boiling water over the tomato and let it sit for 5 minutes. The skin will loosen and peel off easily.

3. Step 3:

   

   There's no need to thaw the beans. Drop them straight into boiling salted water and cook at a low boil for about 10 minutes. Then drain and cover them with cold water — this keeps their bright green color.

4. Step 4:

   

   Peel the tomato and cut it into rough pieces. Peel the onion and dice it.

5. Step 5:

   

   Heat the oil in a skillet, add the onion, and fry it for 5 minutes.

6. Step 6:

   

   Add the chopped tomato (or tomato paste, if using) and cook for another 7 minutes.

7. Step 7:

   

   Wash and chop the dill, and chop the garlic too. I grate it on a fine grater, but you can press it or mince it with a knife. You don't have to use dill specifically — any fresh herb works, and cilantro, parsley, or basil are all excellent here.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the herbs and garlic to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   Now the beans. Add them to the skillet, stir, and cook everything for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.

10. Step 10:

    

    Toast the walnuts if needed, then chop them — with a knife, or by crushing them with a rolling pin. I don't recommend a blender; you don't want the nuts ground to dust, since it's nicer to still feel their texture.

11. Step 11:

    

    Add the spices to the skillet. Again, don't feel bound to my choices — khmeli-suneli, utskho-suneli (blue fenugreek), allspice, and others all work beautifully.

12. Step 12:

    

    Then add the chopped nuts. Stir everything and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt at the very end.

13. Step 13:

    

    Serve this traditional Georgian dish hot or cold — it's satisfying either way. Enjoy!