Yakhnet Fasoulia
يخنة فاصوليا·(yakh-net fa-sou-li-ya)
Tabkha Yawmiye: The Weeknight Tanjara
For generations of Lebanese grandmothers, this stew was a multi-day devotion of soaking beans and simmering bones until the broth was thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. But for the diaspora kid cooking on a Tuesday night in Ohio, survival means adaptation without compromise. By using rich canned butter beans and a high-quality bone broth, this recipe cheats time without cheating the soul of the dish. The non-negotiable magic that makes it taste exactly like home is the takliye—a sizzling, fragrant blast of garlic and fresh cilantro bloomed in fat and stirred in at the last possible second.
Before you start
Dry the beef thoroughly before searing.
Wet meat will steam instead of brown in the pot, costing you the crucial Maillard reaction that builds the stew's depth in the absence of hours of boiling.
Rinse the canned beans completely.
The starchy canning liquid will muddy the clean flavor of your stew, so rinse them under cold water until the water runs totally clear.
Ingredients
- olive oil1 tbsp
- ghee1 tbsp
- boneless beef chuck roast1 lb
- yellow onion1 med
- salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- Lebanese Seven Spice1 tsp
- tomato paste3 tbsp
- canned crushed tomatoes1 cup
- beef bone broth3 cup
- canned butter beans30 oz
- ghee1 tbsp
- garlic cloves5 large
- fresh cilantro1 cup
Method
- 01
Sear the meat to build the foundational flavor.
Heat the olive oil and one tablespoon of ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add the dried beef cubes in a single layer, and let them sear undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until a dark crust forms before flipping.
- 02
Sweat the aromatics and bloom the spices.
Lower the heat to medium, add the diced onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft, scraping up the browned beef bits, then stir in the salt, black pepper, and Seven Spice to toast for 30 seconds.
- 03
Caramelize the tomato paste to remove its metallic edge.
Clear a space in the center of the pot, drop in the tomato paste, and let it fry directly on the heat for 1 to 2 minutes until it darkens to a rusty brick orange before stirring it into the meat.
- 04
Simmer and tenderize the beef.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef bone broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the beef yields completely to a fork.
- 05
Fold in the butter beans.
Gently stir the rinsed beans into the stew and let them simmer for just 10 minutes so they absorb the savory sauce without turning to mush.
- 06
Prepare the takliye, the undeniable soul of the dish.
While the beans simmer, melt the remaining tablespoon of ghee in a small frying pan over medium heat, sauté the crushed garlic for 30 seconds without browning, then instantly add the chopped cilantro and sauté for another 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant and wilted.
- 07
Marry the sizzling garlic and cilantro into the stew.
Scrape the entire contents of the frying pan into the simmering pot, stir gently, let it bubble for 2 more minutes to lock in the flavors, then turn off the heat and adjust the salt.
Notes
Serve with traditional vermicelli rice.
A Lebanese stew is incomplete without Rizz bi Sh'ariyeh, where broken vermicelli noodles are toasted in ghee before adding washed long-grain rice and water to steam until completely fluffy.
A squeeze of lemon cuts the richness.
Hit the bowl with fresh lemon juice right before eating to brighten the heavy, comforting weight of the meat and starch.
Watch the garlic like a hawk.
If the garlic browns in the takliye, it turns bitter; having the cilantro ready to drop into the pan will instantly drop the fat's temperature and halt the garlic's cooking.
Mash beans to thicken the broth.
If the stew feels too thin, mash a half-cup of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them in to release their natural starches.
From Cook Lebanese in America.