1 lb (about 3-4 medium) beets
1 cup walnuts + extra halves for garnish
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp blue fenugreek (utskho suneli) or Khmeli suneli
½ tsp Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
2-3 Tbl wine vinegar (white, red or sherry)
½ bunch fresh cilantro
pomegranate arils (optional, for garnish)
Peel and cut into pieces or wedges
- 1 lb (about 3-4 medium) beets
Cook in toaster oven @ 325° F until fork-tender, then let cool. Mince or grind them using a food processor or a meat grinder.
Make the walnut paste: place in a food processor
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp blue fenugreek
- ½ tsp Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
- salt to taste
and process until it forms a thick paste, adding a splash of water if necessary to help it blend.
Scrape the nut mixture mixture into a mixing bowl, add the processed beets and
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2-3 Tbl wine vinegar (white, red or sherry)
Mix everything together thoroughly. Taste and adjust the salt or vinegar if needed; it should have a savory, slightly tart profile. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours before serving.
Form into round balls, flatten them slightly, make a small indentation on top. Garnish with
- pomegranate seeds
- extra walnut halves
Serve cold with fresh bread.
Note Other versions of Pkhali include spinach, cabbage, beans, carrot and eggplant. Instead of 1lb beets, try using ½ lb beets and a 2nd version (with ½ of the walnut paste) with ½ lb of spinach (cooked, drained, squeezed dry) chopped with ½ onion and additional chopped cilantro to taste.