Lebanese · appetizer

Hindbeh bi Zeit (Dandelion Greens with Caramelised Onion)

Name: Hindbeh bi Zeit (Dandelion Greens with Caramelised Onion)
Prep time: 1 h 3 min
Total time: 1 h 23 min
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: dandelion greens — 1000 g; water — 3000 g; salt — 10 g; onions — 450 g; extra virgin olive oil — 138 g; salt — 5 g; freshly ground black pepper — 3 g; lemon — 80 g; lemons — 160 g

Hindbeh bi Zeit (Dandelion Greens with Caramelised Onion) reads citrus 8.2, sourness 7.8 and fruity 5.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Lebanese appetizer, about 1 hr 23 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 4.7 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 5.9 / 10
Sour & Bright — 10.0 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.6 / 10
Rich & Fat — 3.2 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 8.2 · Sourness 7.8 · Fruity 5.3 · Salinity 4.5 · Allium 3.4 · Richness 3.1 · Sweetness 2.2 · Umami 1.9 · Bitterness 1.5 · Warm Spice 1.4 · Floral 1.3 · Herbaceous 0.9 · Earthy 0.6 · Nutty 0.6 · Heat 0.6

What's in it (9)

dandelion greens — 1000 g
water — 3000 g
salt — 10 g
onions — 450 g
extra virgin olive oil — 138 g
salt — 5 g
freshly ground black pepper — 3 g
lemon — 80 g
lemons — 160 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 23 min (1 hr 3 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 12.6 kcal, 0.5 g protein, 0.5 g fat, 1.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

Wild dandelion or chicory greens are bitter, and the bitterness is the dish — it is why hindbeh is eaten, and why sweet caramelised onion sits on top of it. Cultivated chicory or escarole works but is milder; do not reach for spinach, which has none of the character.
Wash the greens in several changes of water — they carry grit — and trim any stem thicker than a pencil.
Bring the 3 litres of water to a rolling boil with the blanching salt and cook the greens 8 to 10 minutes until completely tender. Drain, refresh briefly under cold water, then squeeze out the liquid in handfuls and chop coarsely. Blanching takes the harshest edge off while leaving the honest bitterness behind.
Fry the onion rings in 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are dark brown, sweet and crisp at the edges. Lift out onto paper and salt them lightly. This is the garnish, and pale onions ruin the dish.
In the same pan, cook the finely sliced onions in 4 more tablespoons of oil over medium heat for 12 minutes until soft and golden.
Add the chopped greens, the salt and pepper, and cook together 6 minutes, turning often, so the greens take up the onion and the oil.
Take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and the remaining olive oil, and spread on a plate to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
Top with the fried onion rings and serve with lemon wedges, as part of a meze or as a light supper with bread.
Substitutions: wild chicory can stand in for the dandelion greens.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Nyama Choma (Charcoal-Roast Goat with Ugali) — Kenyan
Lemon Pepper Baked Tilapia with Rice — American
Beyran Çorbası (Garlic and Lamb Shank Breakfast Soup) — Turkish
Brik a l'Oeuf — Tunisian
Greek-Marinated Grilled Pork Chops — Greek

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.