Hot lobio with red beans
4 servings
60 minutes
Lobio is a hot dish made from red beans, a traditional Georgian meal rich in flavors and aromas. It combines the softness of beans with the spiciness of ucho-suneli, cilantro, and hot pepper. Fresh tomatoes add a slight acidity to lobio, while basil complements the overall flavor. Lobio is a versatile dish served hot with traditional Georgian sides. It is perfect for cold weather, warming and energizing.
1
We sort the beans, removing broken, spoiled, and substandard grains. Then we rinse them 5-10 times in room temperature running water and soak them in cold water, exceeding the volume of beans by 4-5 times, leaving them in a cool place for 10-12 hours.
- Red beans: 250 g
2
After the specified time, rinse the beans again, add cold water in a 1:1 ratio, and bring to a boil over high heat. Use the lid only at the very end, when the 'lobio' is removed from the stove.
- Red beans: 250 g
3
Add a bay leaf, a celery stalk, and one whole onion, then reduce the temperature so that the lobio simmers rather than boils. To prevent burning, stir gently and periodically.
- Celery stalk: 100 g
- Onion: 325 g
4
Chop the remaining onion (about 125 grams) into small cubes.
- Onion: 325 g
5
Finely chopped garlic, hot pepper, and coarse rock salt are ground in a mortar to a paste.
- Garlic: 30 g
- Red chilli pepper: 10 g
- Salt: to taste
6
When there are 10-15 minutes left until the beans are fully cooked, remove the celery stalk and onion from the broth, then gently stir in the chopped onion, half of the chopped herbs, and crushed garlic with pepper.
- Onion: 325 g
- Coriander leaves: 50 g
- Parsley: 50 g
- Garlic: 30 g
- Red chilli pepper: 10 g
7
Constantly stirring, we cook the beans until ready. Then we remove from heat and mix with the remaining chopped fresh herbs and pureed fresh tomatoes.
- Coriander leaves: 50 g
- Parsley: 50 g
- Baku tomatoes: 130 g
8
Mix ucho-suneli and adjika (optional) in a small amount of broth and add to the beans. Season generously with fresh ground pepper, salt, and adjust to taste.
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
9
After seasoning, cover with a lid and let it sit in a warm place for 30-40 minutes, so the lobio absorbs the flavors and aromas of herbs and spices.
10
To serve lobio hot, it is better to use a deep plate with a lid. Accompaniments typically recommended include: mchadi, hot green pepper, cheeses, pickles, and fresh herbs.