Georgian Beans (Lobio)

Recipe from Jack Murphy

Adapted by Marian Burros

Published March 17, 1992

Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Rating
4(13)
Comments
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—Marian Burros

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Ingredients

Yield:3 servings as a main dish

  • 2 cups dry red kidney beans

  • 1 large onion, chopped fine

  • 2 carrots, chopped fine

  • 1 rib celery, chopped fine

  • 8 pitted prunes

  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon

  • 3 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste

  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper flakes

  • 1 teaspoon coriander seed

  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil

  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro

  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

  • Freshly ground pepper to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings as a main dish)

107 grams carbs; 746 calories; 17 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 23 grams fiber; 262 milligrams sodium; 30 grams protein; 13 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Soak beans overnight or cook beans for 2 minutes in plenty of water and allow to sit for one hour.

  2. Step 2

    Drain water from beans and add plenty of fresh water to cover with onion, carrots and celery. Cover and simmer for about one hour, until beans are tender, but not mushy. Drain and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Simmer the prunes in ⅓ cup of the vinegar for 20 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    With food processor running, put garlic through tube. Add remaining vinegar, tamarind paste, hot pepper flakes, coriander seed, fenugreek, olive oil, prunes and vinegar and process to a paste. Add the cilantro and process to chop fine. Season with salt and pepper. Stir into warm beans.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
13 user ratings
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Comments

Elizabeth

I think this can be too sweet, depending on your balsamic. I would cut back on the prunes a little. Also, I used tkemali—the Georgian plum sauce—rather than substituting tamarind.

JB

Odd recipe, but I replaced the prunes (and several other of the sauce ingredients) with a cup or so of pomegranate syrup (which I expect to find in Georgian versions of this dish) and it came out pretty well.

Jeff

This was a dud for us. The prunes gave it this horrible sweetness that I’ve tasted in no region of Georgia. I wonder where they came up with it, or if it was from the tkhemali plum sauce. It was a horrible substitute. It needs lots more garlic, lots more cilantro, more salt, remove the prunes and tamirand. I honestly wonder if the people rating this four stars have ever been to Georgia or eaten at a Georgian restaurant.

Elly van Laar

I didn't have prunes, so I substituted them with some dates and a piece of dried mango. Also super yummy!

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Credits

Adapted from Jack Murphy

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