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Lobio (Georgian: ლობიო) is a popular Georgian dish made with kidney beans and usually eaten with Mchadi and marinated vegetables. The Georgian word ‘lobio’ means ‘beans’. There are a number of varieties of this dish and in this family recipe we show how to make lobio flavoured with pomegranate juice.

Ingredients: 800 grams of red lobio (kidney beans), 4 onions, 6 cloves of garlic, 5 tbs of oil, 4 tbs of pomegranate juice, 3 bay leaves, 2 sweet red peppers, 1 level tsp of blue fenugreek, 1 level tsp of dried coriander, 1 tbs of dried hot red pepper (can be less if you prefer a milder dish), 1 heaped tbs of tomato puree, and salt (amount dependent upon personal preference).

Preparation: Soak the beans in a deep cooking pot of cold water for two hours prior to cooking. Drain water and add the bay leaves and up to 2 liters of fresh water. Cook on a medium heat until the beans are tender.

Chop the onions and add to a pan containing 5 tbs of hot oil.

Chop the red peppers and add, together with 1 tbs of dried hot red pepper (can be less if you prefer a milder dish), to the pan. Mix with the onions and fry on a high temperature, stirring frequently.

When the onions have browned, add 1 level tsp of blue fenugreek, 1 level tsp of dried coriander, and salt (amount dependent upon personal preference). Mix and reduce temperature to a low heat.

After 2 minutes, add 6 cloves of squashed garlic, 1 heaped tbs of tomato puree and 4 tbs of pomegranate juice. Stir with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes.

Add some of the cooked lobio liquid and mix with fried ingredients (this makes it easier to transfer the ingredients to the pot of cooked lobio).

Transfer the fried ingredients to the pot of cooked lobio. Stir and bring the boil and continue to cook for 10 minutes on a medium temperature. Remove from the heat and serve.

Serving: Serve hot. We garnished ours with parsley and pomegranate seeds. Lobio is usually eaten with Mchadi (Georgian cornbread).

Enjoy your Lobio with Pomegranate Juice!

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