Name: Ajarian Malakhto with Green Beans and Walnuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 900 g young green snap beans, trimmed; 115 g shelled English walnuts, roughly chopped; 9 g garlic (about 3 cloves), peeled; 30 g mild red onion, peeled and roughly chopped; 20 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 15 g fresh basil leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; 2 g fresh savory leaves, roughly chopped; 10 g fresh hot green chili, stemmed; remove seeds for less heat; 5 g fine salt, divided; 0.5 g ground black pepper, or to taste; 30 ml verjus (sour juice from unripe grapes), added gradually

Coarse green beans and walnuts with fresh herbs, served with mchadi on a wooden table.

Yieldabout 1.1 kg; 6 side portions of roughly 185 g

Preparation25 minutes

Cooking10 minutes

Passive time120 minutes

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The dish

About Ajarian Malakhto with Green Beans and Walnuts

მალახტო · about 1.1 kg · 6 side portions · Moderate · 2 hours 35 minutes

Malakhto is associated with Ajarian cooking, where preparations can vary. This recipe presents the cold young-bean version, dressed with walnuts, herbs and the sharp juice of unripe grapes.

For this cold summer dish, young green beans are cooked until soft, then chopped with walnuts, garlic, cilantro, basil, savory and green chili. Verjus—sour juice from unripe grapes—brings the bright, tangy finish. The mixture should remain coarse enough to show pieces of bean and walnut rather than becoming a smooth purée.

The two-hour chill is part of the schedule: it cools the beans safely and lets the seasoning settle through the mixture. Serve Malakhto cold, with hot mchadi and, if you like, cheese. Use a shallow tray to cool the cooked beans promptly, keep the finished dish at or below 4 °C, and return it to the refrigerator between servings.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

მალახტო · about 1.1 kg · 6 side portions · Moderate · 2 hours 35 minutes

Beans

900 gyoung green snap beans, trimmed

Walnut and herb mixture

115 gshelled English walnuts, roughly chopped
9 ggarlic (about 3 cloves), peeled
30 gmild red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
20 gfresh cilantro, roughly chopped
15 gfresh basil leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
2 gfresh savory leaves, roughly chopped
10 gfresh hot green chili, stemmed; remove seeds for less heat

Seasoning

5 gfine salt, divided
0.5 gground black pepper, or to taste
30 mlverjus (sour juice from unripe grapes), added gradually

Method

Prepare the beans and work area. Wash your hands, rinse the beans and herbs under cool running water, and trim the bean ends. Set up a pot with a steamer basket and a little simmering water. Keep the prepared produce separate from raw meat, poultry and seafood.
Steam until tender. Arrange the beans in the basket, cover and steam over simmering water for 7–9 minutes, until quite soft but still holding their shape. Drain well, spread in a shallow tray, and refrigerate promptly while preparing the walnut mixture.
Make a coarse walnut mixture. Pulse the walnuts, garlic, onion, cilantro, basil, savory, chili, 4 g of the salt and the black pepper in a food processor. Stop when the mixture is coarse and even; do not purée it smooth. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Combine with the beans. Pulse the cooled, drained beans in batches just until coarsely chopped, leaving visible pieces. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in the walnut mixture.
Season with verjus. Stir in the verjus a little at a time. Taste and adjust the tartness and the remaining salt. The mixture should taste savory and distinctly tangy, without excess liquid.
Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate at or below 4 °C for 2 hours. Serve cold with hot mchadi. Return the dish to the refrigerator between servings and transfer leftovers to a clean covered container within 2 hours.

Excerpt

Malakhto is an Ajarian dish with more than one reported preparation. This version follows the cool summer branch: tender green beans are coarsely combined with walnuts, herbs, garlic and tart unripe-grape juice. Chill it before serving with hot mchadi.

Practical guidance

Fresh young beans give the clearest texture. Frozen beans also work: thaw them fully and drain away surface water before combining. Cook the beans until tender throughout; they should not remain raw or squeaky, but should still be recognizable after chopping.

Pulse the beans separately from the walnut mixture so you can stop before they turn into a paste. A mortar and pestle gives a traditional coarse texture but takes longer. Add the verjus gradually because its acidity varies. If verjus is unavailable, use fresh lemon juice a little at a time and taste as you go.

Cool the beans in a shallow tray and refrigerate promptly; do not leave the cooked mixture at room temperature while it chills. Keep the prepared dish at or below 4 °C. Discard it if it has been above 4 °C for more than 2 hours. The full chill time is included in the total recipe time.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: about 185 g (one-sixth of the estimated batch)
Energy: approximately 178 kcal
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 13 g
Fibre: 6 g
Sodium: approximately 339 mg; the actual amount varies with salt and verjus brands

Allergens and food safety

Contains walnuts (tree nuts). Check walnut and chili packaging for cross-contact statements. Wash hands, produce and food-contact equipment before use. Cook the beans until tender, cool them promptly in a shallow tray, and refrigerate the finished dish at or below 4 °C. Refrigerate within 2 hours and discard if left above 4 °C for longer than 2 hours. Keep chilled while serving and use leftovers within 3 days.

To serve

Serve cold as a side dish with hot mchadi; add cheese at the table if desired.
Keep leftovers covered and refrigerated at or below 4 °C, and use within 3 days.