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Georgian bean pkhali

Georgian Green Bean Pkhali

Fragrant, bold, and beautiful—a real showstopper for any gathering! Georgian green bean pkhali is the most famous vegetable appetizer to come out of Georgia. Like all Caucasian cooking, it's generously spiced, packed with herbs and seasonings. Pkhali is meatless and vegetarian, and on top of that it's low in calories.

katushafin

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Green beans

500

Walnuts

0.5

Onion

Garlic

Cilantro

Vegetable oil

Ground red pepper

0.5

Ground coriander

0.5

Khmeli-suneli

0.5

Salt

0.5

Pomegranate (pomegranate seeds)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 18 % 3 g

Fats 53 % 9 g

Carbohydrates 29 % 5 g

112 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Cooking time: 20 min

Step 1:

How do you make Georgian green bean pkhali? Start by prepping your ingredients. You can use frozen beans without thawing—they'll cook through just fine. Walnuts work best here since they're softer, though pkhali is also made with almonds or hazelnuts. I'm using a red onion, but a regular yellow onion works too.
Step 2:

First, cook the beans. Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop in the beans (straight from the freezer if frozen), and cook for about 10–15 minutes, depending on their size and amount. Don't let them turn mushy. Drain the cooked beans in a colander and immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice water so they keep their bright green color. I dropped mine right into the ice to cool them faster, but you can also set the bowl of beans over ice.
Step 3:

While the beans cool, move on to the rest. Grind the walnuts to fine crumbs. I used a food processor, but anything works—a knife, a blender, even a meat grinder.
Step 4:

Add the rinsed cilantro (stems and all), the coarsely chopped onion, and the garlic cloves to the bowl. Grind everything to a paste.
Step 5:

Add the cooled beans, oil, salt, and spices to the nut mixture. Any vegetable oil works, with a strong aroma or without—go with what you like.
Step 6:

Process everything until the mixture comes together but still has a little texture to it.
Step 7:

Scoop up the mixture by the spoonful and shape the pkhali however you like—I made balls, but you can form oblong logs or ovals. Garnish the centers with pomegranate seeds and serve. Enjoy!

It came out bold and full of flavor! Don't skimp on the spices, and be sure to include khmeli-suneli—it's what gives the dish its signature Caucasian aroma. If you really don't care for cilantro, you can use mint or parsley instead, though cilantro adds its own lovely fragrance. In the old days, before modern kitchen gadgets, cooks made pkhali entirely by hand: nuts chopped with a knife; herbs, spices, and garlic ground in a mortar; and the main vegetable either cut or mashed by hand. You can also make pkhali with cabbage, spinach, beet greens, or beets, and use red or white beans. Walnut halves make a nice garnish too.
Since everyone's tolerance for salt, sweetness, bitterness, spice, acidity, and heat is different, always add seasonings to your own taste. If you're trying a spice for the first time, keep in mind that some are especially easy to overdo (chili pepper, for one).
If you're using a pre-made spice blend, check the ingredient list on the package. These mixes often already contain salt, so account for that or you risk over-salting the dish.