Harissa-fried butter beans, yoghurt and herbs

Name: Harissa-fried butter beans, yoghurt and herbs
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 as a light meal
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 large red onion, finely diced; 2 garlic cloves, chopped; zest of 2 lemons; 1-2 tbsp harissa (or to taste); 1½ cups mixed soft herbs, chopped (such as mint, coriander, basil, parsley); 2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed thoroughly; 1-2 cups Greek-style yoghurt

Katrina Meynink

March 28, 2023

Spicy butter beans with cool yoghurt.Katrina Meynink

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4 as a light meal

The key here is trepidation. Add the harissa slowly – there is so much variability in heat across brands – it’s easy to add, but you can’t take it away. But once you get the heat right, this is one of the quickest, tastiest and cheapest dishes to make right now. Any leftovers make for an epic breakfast spooned over some toast and topped with a fried or poached egg.

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large red onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
zest of 2 lemons
1-2 tbsp harissa (or to taste)
1½ cups mixed soft herbs, chopped (such as mint, coriander, basil, parsley)
2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed thoroughly
1-2 cups Greek-style yoghurt

Method

Step 1
Place a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the diced onion and cook until soft but not taking on any colour, about 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic, half the lemon zest and the harissa, stirring constantly to prevent catching.
Step 2
Turn the heat to low and add most of the herbs, reserving a few tablespoons for serving. Stir the onion-harissa mixture until the herbs soften and are distributed throughout. Add the beans and cook until warmed through (about 3 minutes).
Step 3
Smear the yoghurt across the base of a serving bowl and top with the bean mixture, scooping everything, even the oily bits, from the pan. Scatter over remaining zest and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.