Lobio (Georgian kidney bean stew)

• 100 g Walnuts (shelled)
  Swaps (1)
• 2 u Onion (finely chopped)
• 3 cloves Garlic (peeled)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (freshly ground, to taste)
• 1 bunch Coriander (fresh, chopped)
• 3 tablespoons Sunflower Oil
• 1 teaspoon Paprika (sweet)
• 2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
  Swaps (1)
• 1 leaf Bay Leaf
• 1 pinch Chilli Flakes (to taste)
• 400 g Kidney Beans (dried, or 1 kg tinned or jarred cooked beans, drained)
• 2 teaspoons Khmeli suneli (Georgian spice blend) (or 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek and a pinch each of dried dill and mint)

Instructions

1. 1

   The day before, soak the beans in plenty of cold water overnight. If using cooked beans, skip this step and the next.

2. 2

   Drain them, put them in a pan with the bay leaf, cover with fresh water and boil hard for 10 minutes: raw red kidney beans contain a substance that upsets the stomach and is only destroyed by a rolling boil. Then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until very tender, adding cold water if needed. Salt them at the end and keep a glassful of the cooking liquid.

   90 min

3. 3

   Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan and gently cook the onion with a pinch of salt over medium-low heat until soft and lightly golden.

   15 min

4. 4

   Blitz the walnuts with the garlic, khmeli suneli, paprika, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt to a coarse paste; if using a mortar, pound the garlic with the salt first, then add the walnuts and spices.

   5 min

5. 5

   Drain the beans, remove the bay leaf and mash roughly a third of them with a fork, leaving the rest whole. Mix them with the onion, the walnut paste and enough of the cooking liquid to make a thick, creamy stew, and heat through for 5 minutes over low heat.

   8 min

6. 6

   Off the heat, add the vinegar and most of the coriander, then taste and adjust the salt, pepper and vinegar. Serve hot or warm with the rest of the coriander on top.

   2 min