Large bunches of hindbeh are easy to find in shops in Lebanon where eating wild greens or “weeds” is part of life. Hindbeh equates to wild chicory or dandelions, the latter we have in abundance in green spaces in the UK. These days dandelions have an image problem and are seen as “weeds”. But as Liz Knight points out in her book Forage “dandelions are a nutritional powerhouse”, and have a long history of being eaten as food especially in the eastern Mediterranean. The leaves are cleansing for the liver with a pleasant bitter taste, just perfect to pep up a salad. But if you’re out on a walk and have time to pick leaves away from the path, this Lebanese recipe is delicious.

It’s a simple dish which has more going on than you might think. There’s a slight bitterness to the wilted leaves, a perfect counter balance to the sweetness of the caramelised onions. A little bit of “bitter” is a good thing in our diet. We recommend slowly cooking the onions in Zejd’s EVOO until they’re  golden since Tim Spector debunks the myth that frying in EVOO damages the polyphenols in the oil. Instead of boiling the leaves, blanching the dandelion leaves quickly will keep their nutritional value. They’re full of calcium, vitamin A and K; squeezing lemon juice on each mouthful will help the body absorb the calcium. Adding a final flourish of Zejd’s EVOO over the dish to serve not only adds flavour but goodness too. No need for a medicinal spoonful of EVOO each day – just add it to your food. Although flat bread is helpful for scooping up dark green leaves and soft sweet onions drenched in EVOO and lemon juice, a fork does very well too. 

There’s growing concern in the UK that our health is suffering as a result of ultra processed foods. Lebanon, Palestine and Syria have a diet rich in using these wild greens knowing their medicinal value. It seems timely that we look at the “weeds” which grow in our green spaces and learn from those whose diets keep these traditions at the core of their cuisine. Economical, nutritional and delicious, why not have a go at making hindbeh?

serves 2