Levantine cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Mtabbal Loubieh

Soft-cooked green beans blended into a creamy dip with tahini, garlic and lemon, finished with olive oil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g green beans
• 4 tbsp tahini
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Trim the beans, cut off the ends and cook in salted water for 12–15 min. until soft – they should lose their bite here, otherwise the cream turns fibrous.
2. Drain the beans, shock in ice-cold water to keep the color green, and drain very well.
3. Crush the garlic with 1/2 tsp salt in a mortar to a paste and whisk smooth with the tahini, the juice of the lemon and 3 tbsp cold water until the sauce is pale and creamy.
4. Purée the beans with the tahini sauce and the cumin in a blender into a not-quite-smooth, slightly chunky cream and season with salt, pepper and lemon.
5. Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 min., stirring, until golden brown and remove from the pan immediately.
6. Spread the cream in a shallow dish, make a well in the center, fill with olive oil and serve scattered with pine nuts and chopped parsley.