Lobio - a classic recipe

The key to cooking lobio in the classic recipe is the right variety of beans. The best choice is red or variegated creamy beans from the current year's harvest - they will have enough starch and at the same time they will not be too dry. Pour the beans into a large bowl and fill it with water. The water should be cold. If some of the beans float to the surface, touch them with your fingers, they may be empty inside. Such beans should be discarded. Leave the red beans to soak for 6-8 hours.

Then drain the water, transfer the beans to a deep pot, and cover them with fresh water so that the beans are completely submerged. Place the pot over high heat to bring it to a boil. Once the water boils, get rid of it - pour it out and refill with cold water (the ideal ratio is 1:4). Cook over medium or low heat, stirring occasionally, for 50 minutes to 1.5 hours. The beans should become tender. Mash a portion of the beans slightly with a fork right in the pot. Just be careful not to overdo it, the dish should have plenty of whole beans.

Sort the nut kernels from the husks and shells. The nuts should not be stale or spoiled.

Grind them using a blender or a meat grinder.

For classic lobio, take two large onions weighing approximately 180-190 grams or three medium-sized onions. Peel them and cut into moderately small cubes. The onion should be visible and noticeable in the dish. Prepare a large skillet with high sides - heat it up and pour in vegetable oil. Spread the onion evenly in a layer and fry it over low heat until it becomes translucent with a slight golden color.

Blanch fresh tomatoes. Start by washing the tomatoes well, then use a sharp knife to make shallow criss-cross cuts near the stem and on the opposite side. Dip the tomatoes in boiling water and count to ten. Do not leave the vegetables in the boiling water for more than 10 seconds. If you have a bowl of ice nearby, you can instantly cool the tomatoes in it. Otherwise, hold them under a stream of cold water. Use the knife's edge to lift the skin and easily remove it. Now, our tomatoes are blanched.

Next, cut the tomatoes into medium-sized cubes, roughly the same size as the onions.

Chop the cilantro with a knife, but not too finely. Cut the garlic cloves into small cubes. You can also chop them using a garlic press, but using a knife will be more accurate.

Add tomato cubes to the transparent onion, season with spices - khmeli-suneli, black pepper, a small amount of dried red pepper. Adjust the amount of hot pepper to your taste. The dish should be spicy and savory, but also edible in terms of spiciness. Add beans, nuts, cilantro, garlic, and a little bit of the bean broth to the onion and tomatoes. Season with salt.

Mix and simmer for 3-4 minutes. If you see that the dish is getting dry, you can add more water from the bean broth. If serving lobio hot according to the classic recipe, it is the main course. And if serving it cold, it is an appetizer.