INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg. variegated beans (lobio), preferably red;
• 100 g. shelled walnuts (optional);
• 5 medium onions, preferably red;
• 2 stalks of young leeks;
• medium bunch of leaf celery;
• medium bunch of cilantro;
• 1 pod of hot green pepper;
• 5 medium garlic cloves;
• 3 bay leaves;
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste;
• 1 tbsp. kokhi or tkemali (or the juice of half a lemon);
• 1 tsp adjika;
• 50 g. butter;
• 1 tsp salt.

METHOD

1. Soak the beans in cold water for 8-10 hours, then drain the water, put the beans in a saucepan, pour fresh cold water so that it completely covers the beans. Put on high heat, bring to a boil.
2. After boiling, drain the water, pour cold water again in a ratio of 1: 4 and put on medium heat. Cook until the beans are completely softened, stirring occasionally, about 50 minutes.
3. Mash the beans directly in the pan during the cooking process to a heterogeneous thick mass.
4. Cut the onion into cubes, add to the lobio and let simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Cut the leek into thin rings, mince the celery and hot peppers and add everything to the lobio along with the tomato paste and coha.
6. Finely chop the garlic, hot pepper and cilantro, put in a mortar, add salt and crush. Grind walnuts in a blender.
7. Mix all prepared greens and spices with ground walnuts and adjika, put in lobio along with butter and mix. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
8. Put the bay leaf, cook for another 5 minutes. and turn off. Serve hot.