Name: Megrelian Lobio with Tkemali
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 5 min
Total time: 10 h 30 min
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 300 g dried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed; 1.8 L cold water, for soaking (discard after soaking); 2.4 L fresh water, for cooking; reserve up to 300 ml; 150 g yellow onion, finely diced; 120 g leek, white and pale green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced; 80 g celery stalk, finely chopped; 30 ml neutral sunflower oil; 12 g garlic, finely minced; 3 g dried summer savory, crumbled; 1 bay leaf, to remove after cooking; 60 ml prepared Georgian tkemali sour plum sauce; 30 g fresh cilantro leaves, chopped; 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped; 5 g fine salt; 1 g ground black pepper

A bowl of thick red bean stew with sour plum tkemali, leek and herbs.

Yield4 servings

Serving basisOne-quarter of the finished stew

DifficultyIntermediate

DietVegan; contains legumes

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The dish

About Megrelian Lobio with Tkemali

Tender red beans simmer with leek, celery and herbs, then get a bright, tart finish from Georgian tkemali sauce.

Lobio covers many Georgian bean dishes. Georgia Travel notes a Megrelian preparation with sour-plum tkemali juice, while published home recipes vary in their herbs and aromatics. This version uses prepared tkemali, a Georgian sour-plum sauce, to season a thick red kidney bean stew.

The beans cook until fully tender before the vegetables and sauce are added. Reserve some cooking liquid so you can control the texture: a little keeps the stew thick and spoonable, while too much would dilute the tkemali. Add the sauce near the end and finish with fresh cilantro for a clear, tangy flavour.

Dried red kidney beans require a safe cooking sequence. Soak them under refrigeration, discard the soaking water, boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes, then simmer until fully tender. Serve lobio warm with mchadi, bread or pickled vegetables.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Georgian Red Bean Stew with Sour Plum Sauce (ლობიო ტყემლით)

Beans

300 gdried red kidney beans, sorted and rinsed
1.8 Lcold water, for soaking (discard after soaking)
2.4 Lfresh water, for cooking; reserve up to 300 ml

Vegetables and aromatics

150 gyellow onion, finely diced
120 gleek, white and pale green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced
80 gcelery stalk, finely chopped
30 mlneutral sunflower oil
12 ggarlic, finely minced
3 gdried summer savory, crumbled
1bay leaf, to remove after cooking

Sauce and herbs

60 mlprepared Georgian tkemali sour plum sauce
30 gfresh cilantro leaves, chopped
15 gfresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
5 gfine salt
1 gground black pepper

Method

Soak the beans. Sort and rinse the beans. Cover with 1.8 L cold water and soak under refrigeration for 8–12 hours. Drain and discard the soaking water, then rinse the beans again.
Boil and simmer. Put the beans in a heavy pot with 2.4 L fresh water. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes. Reduce to a steady simmer and cook until completely tender, usually 60–90 minutes more. Add hot water if needed to keep them covered. Do not cook dried kidney beans in a slow cooker.
Reserve liquid and mash lightly. Reserve up to 300 ml bean cooking liquid. Remove and discard the bay leaf once the beans are tender. Lightly mash about one-quarter of the beans; leave most whole.
Soften the vegetables. Heat the sunflower oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion, leek and celery for 8–10 minutes until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and summer savory and cook for 1 minute.
Season the stew. Add the softened vegetables, parsley, salt and black pepper to the beans. Stir in the tkemali sauce and gradually add up to 300 ml reserved cooking liquid, as needed, for a thick, spoonable stew. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Stir in the chopped cilantro at the end. Taste the sauce and adjust salt only if needed; confirm the beans are fully tender.
Serve and store. Serve warm with mchadi or bread. Cool leftovers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C at the centre. Check the tkemali label for allergens and sodium.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

Refrigerate the bean soak, discard that water and give dried kidney beans a vigorous boil for at least 10 minutes before simmering.
Reserve the bean liquid and add it gradually after stirring in the tkemali, stopping when the stew is thick and spoonable.
Taste the sauce before adding more salt; prepared tkemali can vary in saltiness.

Practical notes

Tkemali sauce. Green, yellow and red versions vary in acidity and salt. Use prepared Georgian sour-plum sauce and check its label; taste before adjusting salt.

Texture. Lobio should be thick enough to mound on a spoon but not dry. Add the reserved bean liquid in small splashes; the mashed beans help bind the stew.

Make ahead. The beans can be soaked overnight in the refrigerator. Store cooked lobio in a shallow covered container and reheat gently with a splash of water until the centre reaches 74°C.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Serving size: One-quarter of the stew
Energy: About 345 kcal
Carbohydrates: About 54 g
Protein: About 19 g
Fat: About 8 g
Fibre: About 20 g
Sodium: About 550 mg

These are estimates for the listed ingredients and yield. The sodium value changes with the brand and style of tkemali sauce.

Allergens and food safety

This recipe contains beans, which are legumes. Check the tkemali label for additional declared allergens and prevent cross-contact. Refrigerate dried-bean soaking, discard the soaking water, boil vigorously for at least 10 minutes and continue cooking kidney beans until fully tender. Do not use a slow cooker for uncooked dried kidney beans. Cool leftovers within 2 hours, refrigerate at or below 4°C for 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C at the centre.

The result

Whole and lightly mashed red beans are seasoned with sour plum sauce, leek, celery and herbs.
Tkemali brings the defining tartness; add the bean liquid gradually to keep the stew thick.